Question:-
If a person pays Zakaat to free oppressed Muslim prisoners, the Ulama have given permission to discharge the Zakat to free them.
Based on the above, will it be permissible for a person who intentionally nullified his Fardh fast and now Qadha and Kaffaarah has become compulsory upon him, to pay his Kaffarah by freeing these slaves? Will freeing them suffice him for fulfilling his Kaffarah?
Answer:-
The text of the jurists clearly indicates that a person is required to free a ‘slave’ for his Kaffarah. Captives that are unjustly imprisoned do not fall in the category of ‘slaves’, rather these are free people that are unjustly imprisoned. When they are freed, they will live the rest of their lives as free people. In fact, your question makes mention of ‘Free Muslim prisoners’ hence, you too acknowledge that these prisoners are not slaves but ‘free’ individuals. In conclusion, freeing such individuals for Kaffarah will not suffice rather one will have to move over to the second option which is fasting sixty days consecutively (in the absence of slaves).
أَرَأَيْت رجلا جَامع امْرَأَته فِي شهر رَمَضَان نَهَارا مُتَعَمدا لذَلِك قَالَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يتم صَوْم ذَلِك الْيَوْم وَيَقْضِي يَوْمًا مَكَانَهُ وَعَلِيهِ أَن يعْتق رَقَبَة فَإِن لم يجد رَقَبَة فَعَلَيهِ صِيَام شَهْرَيْن مُتَتَابعين فان لم يسْتَطع فإطعام سِتِّينَ مِسْكينا وَكَذَلِكَ جَاءَ الْأَثر عَن رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم (الاصل ص203 ج2)
قول ابي حنيفَة واصحابه هُوَ على التَّرْتِيب لَا على التَّخْيِير
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 18 Shabaan 1443 / 21 March 2022
