Details of Fidya for Missed Prayers

Question

A person has passed away, and the heirs know that he had a certain number of missed prayers. How should the expiation (fidya) be given? Can food for those days be given to one poor person over several days, or should several poor people be fed at once? How many prayers are counted per day?

Answer

If the deceased did not leave a will, then it is not obligatory upon the heirs to pay the fidya. However, if the adult heirs wish to give fidya from their own wealth—even if that wealth came to them as inheritance from the deceased—they may do so. For each prayer, they should give the amount equal to one Sadaqat al-Fitr to a poor person.

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