Feeding Na-Baaligh Children For Discharging Kaffaarah

The ruling/s applicable to the recipients of Kaffarah is based on Zakaat. Zakaat is normally given to Baaligh Muslims hence it would be preferable that the recipients of Kaffarah also meet the same requirement.

If on the other hand, the Kafaarah was given to Na-Baaligh children (as stated in your query, then the ruling is regards to giving Zakaat to a Na-baaligh child is as follows:- If the father of the Na-Baaligh child is poor and eligible for Zakaat then his Na-Baaligh child may be assisted with Zakaat funds on condition that the child is of understanding age.

Based on this Mas’ala, we conclude that if a Na-Baaligh child that is of understanding age (whose father is poor) was fed in fulfilling one’s Kaffarah then the feeding in Kaffarah will be valid. If you are in doubt as to whether the Na-Baaligh children that were fed were of an understanding age or not, or in the event that they were of an understanding age, you have a doubt as to whether their fathers were eligible for Zakaat or not, then we recommend that as a precaution, in place of the Na-Baaligh children that were fed, you now feed that amount of Kaffarah to Baaligh Muslims in order to remove any doubt that you may have.