A man came to the Prophets and said, "I am ruined!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "What is the matter with you?" He said, "I have done a sexual relation with my wife (while fasting) in Ramadan" The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Can you afford to manumit a slave?" He said, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Can you fast for two successive months?" He said, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Can you feed sixty poor persons?" He said, "I have nothing." Later on an Irq (big basket) containing dates was given to the Prophet, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "Take this basket and give it in charity." The man said, "To poorer people than we? Indeed, there is nobody between its (i.e., Medina's) two mountains who is poorer than we." The Prophet then said, "Take it and feed your family with it."
Expiation for Unfulfilled Oaths
Sahih al-Bukhari - Hadith 6711
Context and Circumstance
This narration concerns a grave matter of breaking the fast of Ramadan through sexual intercourse, which requires expiation (kaffārah). The man's distress demonstrates proper consciousness of this serious violation's spiritual consequences.
Hierarchy of Expiation
The Prophet ﷺ presented three options in descending order of difficulty: freeing a believing slave, fasting two consecutive months, or feeding sixty poor people. This demonstrates the principle of facilitating religious obligations according to one's capability.
Divine Mercy and Practical Guidance
When the man could not afford any option, Allah provided dates through the Prophet. The initial instruction to give charity was modified when the man revealed his extreme poverty, showing Islam's consideration of individual circumstances while maintaining religious obligations.
Legal Ruling Derived
Scholars conclude that intentional sexual intercourse during Ramadan days invalidates the fast and requires making up the day plus expiation. The expiation follows this sequence and cannot be performed out of order unless one is genuinely incapable.
Spiritual Lessons
This incident teaches that sincere repentance is always accepted, divine mercy accommodates human limitations, and religious obligations consider individual capacity. The Prophet's compassionate response transformed the man's despair into hope and practical solution.