Short answer
In the Hanafi school, yes, if she was willing: each spouse owes one day of qada and their own kaffarah of sixty consecutive fasts. If she was forced, she owes only qada and has no sin, while he owes qada and kaffarah. The Shafi'i school puts kaffarah on the husband alone. Intercourse at night in Ramadan is fully allowed.
Intercourse during a Ramadan fast requires qada and kaffarah from each willing fasting spouse. A wife who was compelled owes qada only. A spouse who was not fasting that day for a valid reason, such as travel, owes nothing for that act.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Only the husband owes kaffarah, one for the act, even if the wife was willing; she makes up the day.
- Maliki
- A willing wife owes her own kaffarah, and if the husband forced her he pays a kaffarah on her behalf as well.
Explanation
Allah made intimacy lawful in the nights of Ramadan, from sunset until true dawn. During the fasting hours it is one of the gravest ways to break the fast. The man who came to the Prophet ﷺ saying he was ruined had done exactly this, and he was given the kaffarah.
Why both spouses in the Hanafi school. The kaffarah is the penalty for violating the sanctity of a Ramadan fast. A willing wife has violated her fast in the same way, so she owes her own kaffarah. The hadith did not mention her because she was not the one asking, and the Prophet ﷺ answered the question he was asked.
- Both willing: each makes up one day and each fasts sixty days in a row (or feeds sixty poor if truly unable).
- Wife forced: she makes up one day only, with no sin. He owes qada and kaffarah and has added the sin of forcing her.
- One spouse not fasting for a valid reason, such as illness or travel: that spouse owes nothing, but should not tempt the fasting one.
- During a qada or voluntary fast: qada only, no kaffarah.
- Several days before any kaffarah was paid: see one kaffarah for several fasts.
Sincere repentance is part of the remedy. For the details of the sixty days, see fasting the 60 days, and for what is allowed between spouses during the month, see intimacy in Ramadan. Because these cases involve personal details, a mufti can help you work out exactly what each of you owes.
Ask a mufti about your own case. This answer explains the general ruling. When the details of your situation matter, as they do here, ask a qualified mufti and give them the full facts. Where to ask a scholar.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:187
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآئِكُمْ ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّهُنَّ ۗ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ ۖ فَٱلْـَٰٔنَ بَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلْخَيْطُ ٱلْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْطِ ٱلْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُبَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَٰكِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَسَٰجِدِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٧﴾
It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.
Intimacy is allowed at night in Ramadan, not during the fasting hours.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1936
Sahih... يا رسول الله هلكت قال ما لك قال وقعت على امرأتي وأنا صائم ...
"O Messenger of Allah, I am ruined. He asked what had happened, and he said: I had intercourse with my wife while fasting."
Intercourse in a Ramadan fast requires kaffarah.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Sawm, chapter on what requires qada and kaffarah. A willing woman owes kaffarah like the man; a compelled woman owes qada only.
- Bada'i al-Sana'i, Kitab al-Sawm, section on kaffarah. Kaffarah is tied to violating the fast, so it is owed by each willing spouse.
- Minhaj al-Talibin, Kitab al-Siyam, section on kaffarah. The Shafi'i view that kaffarah is on the husband alone.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.