Q.| If someone misses several days of fasting during the month of Ramadan due to traveling, does he need to pay a financial penalty (kaffārah) in addition to the days of compensational fasting that he has to observe?

A.| No. There is no financial penalty (kaffārah) for missing days of fasting during the month of Ramadan on account of traveling. The only obligation one has in this relation is to observe a day of compensational fasting (ṣawm al-qaḍāʼ) for every day of fasting one has missed during the month of Ramadan. As a matter of mandatory caution, the days of compensational fasting must be observed prior to the arrival of the following month of Ramadan. If one fails to observe the days of compensational fasting prior to the arrival of the following month of Ramadan, for every day one incurs a financial penalty (kaffārah) consisting of 750 grams of a food item such as rice, wheat, flour, or dates.