Zakat alFitr
Zakaat al-Fitr
Praise be to Allaah.
Definition
Zakaat al-Fitr is a kind of charity (sadaqah) that is obligatory at the time of breaking the fast of Ramadaan. The word zakaat is connected by idaafah (genitive structure in Arabic grammar) to fitr because the occasion of breaking the fast is the reason why this zakaat becomes obligatory.
Reasons for zakaat al-fitr and what Islam says about it
Ibn 3Abbaas said: “The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam made zakaat al-fitr obligatory as a means of purifying the fasting person from idle talk and foul language, and to feed the poor. Whoever pays it before the prayer, it is an accepted zakaat, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is just a kind of charity (sadaqah).” (1)
It was reported that 3Umar ibn 3Abd al-3Azeez and Abu’l-3Aaliyah said: “He [the Prophet sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam] paid zakaat al-fitr then he went out for the prayer – i.e., Salaat al-3Eid. (2)
Wakee’ ibn al-Jarraah said: “Zakaat al-fitr for the month of Ramadaan is like two sajdahs of sahw for the prayer. It makes up for any shortcomings in the fast as the prostrations make up for any shortcomings in the prayer.” (3)
Rulings on zakaat al-fitr
The correct view is that it is fard (obligatory), because Ibn 3Umar said: “The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam made zakaat al-fitr obligatory,” and because of the consensus of the scholars (ijmaa’) that it is fard.
When it has to be given
It becomes obligatory when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadaan. Anyone who gets married, has a baby born to him or becomes Muslim before the sun sets on that day, has to give zakaat al-fitr [on behalf of himself and/or his new wife or new baby], but if that happens after sunset, he does not have to give it… Whoever dies after sunset on the night of fitr, sadaqat al-fitr must be given on his behalf. This is what Ahmad stated.” (4)
Who is obliged to pay it?
Zakaat al-fitr is obligatory on Muslims. Ibn 3Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam made zakaat al-fitr, one saa’ of dates or one saa’ of barley, obligatory on the Muslims, slave and free, male and female, young and old.” (5)
It is obligatory on those who are able to pay it. Al-Shaafa3i said: Everyone who, at the beginning of Shawwaal, has enough food for himself and those whom he is supporting, for that day, and has enough to give zakaat al-fitr on behalf of them and himself, should give it on behalf of them and himself. If he only has enough to give on behalf of some of them, then he should give on behalf of some of them. If he only has enough for himself and those whom he is supporting, then he is not obliged to give zakaat al-fitr on his own behalf or on behalf of those whom he is supporting.” (6)
The Muslim should give on his own behalf and on behalf of those on whom he spends, such as wives and relatives, if they cannot give it on their own behalf. If they are able to, it is better for them to give it themselves, because the command is addressed to them in the first place.
Ibn 3Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam made zakaat al-fitr, one saa3 of dates or one saa3 of barley, obligatory on the Muslims, slave and free, male and female, young and old, and commanded that it should be given before the people went out to pray.” (7)
A man has to pay on behalf of himself and his wife – even if she has money of her own – and his children and parents if they are poor, and his daughter if she is married but the marriage has not yet been consummated. If his son is rich, he does not have to give zakaat al-fitr on his behalf. A husband has to give zakaat al-fitr on behalf of a divorced wife whose divorce (talaaq) is not yet final (i.e., she is still in the 3iddah of a first or second talaaq), but not in the case of a rebellious wife or one whose divorce is final. A son does not have to give zakaat al-fitr on behalf of a poor father’s wife because he is not obliged to spend on her.
For more details:
http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/books/54
Amount of zakaat al-fitr
The amount to be given is one saa3 of food, according to the measure of saa3 used by the Prophet sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam, because of the following hadeeth. Abu Sa3eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “At the time of the Prophet sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam we used to give it in the form of a saa3 of food…” (8)
The weight of the saa3 [which is a measure of volume] varies according to the type of food concerned, so when giving zakaat al-fitr by weight, one must make sure that what is given is equivalent to a saa3 of that type of food. A saa3 is approximately equivalent to three kilograms of rice.
Types of things that may be given
What should be given is food for human consumption, such as dates, wheat, rice or other kinds of food that humans eat. It is reported in al-Saheehayn from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam made zakaat al-fitr, one saa’ of dates or one saa’ of barley, obligatory on the Muslims, slave and free, male and female,. (At that time, barley was one of the foods they ate). (9)
Abu Sa3eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “At the time of the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam, we used to give a saa’ of food on the day of Fitr.” Abu Sa’eed said: “And our food was barley, raisins, aqit (dried yoghurt) and dates.” (10)
It should be given in the form of the staple food that is used locally, whether it is wheat, rice, dates or lentils…
Al-Shaafa'i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “If the staple food of a people is corn, pearl millet (dukhn), thin-husked barley (sult), rice or any grain on which zakaat is obligatory, then they may give it as zakaat al-fitr. (11)
As for giving zakaat al-fitr in the form of money, this is not permissible at all, because the Prophet sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam said that it must be given in the form of food, not money. He clearly stated that it is to be given in the form of food, so it is not permissible to give it in any other form and Islam wants it to be given openly, not secretly. The Sahaabah gave zakaat al-fitr in the form of food, and we should follow, not innovate.
The time for giving zakaat al-fitr
It should be given before the 3Eed prayer, as is stated in the hadeeth that the Prophet sallallaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam “commanded that it should be given before the people went out to pray.” (12)
There is a time when it is mustahabb (preferable) to give it and a time when it is permissible to give it.
The time when it is mustahabb to give it is on the day of Eid, because of the hadeeth quoted above. For this reason it is Sunnah to delay the 3Eid prayer on 3Eid al-Fitr so as to allow enough time for those who have to give zakaat al-fitr to do so, and to have breakfast before coming out. On the other hand, it is Sunnah to hasten the 3Eid prayers on 3Eid al-Adhaa so that the people can go and offer their sacrifices and eat from them.
The time when it is permissible to give zakaat al-fitr is one or two days before 3Eid. Naafi’ said: “Ibn 3Umar used to give on behalf of the young and the old, and he even used to give on behalf of my sons. He would give to those who took it, and it would be given a day or two before (3Eid) al-Fitr.”
(“Those who took it” refers to those who were appointed by the imaam to collect the sadaqat al-fitr). (13)
Naafi’ said: “Ibn 3Umar used to send zakaat al-fitr to the one who was collecting it two or three days before (‘Eid) al-Fitr.”
It is disliked (makrooh) to delay giving it until after Salaat al-3Eid; some scholars said that this is haraam and is counted as qadaa’ (making up a duty that has not been performed on time), on the basis of the hadeeth, “Whoever pays it before the prayer, it is an accepted zakaat, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is just a kind of charity.” (14)
To whom it may be given
Zakaat al-Fitr may be given to the eight categories of people to whom zakaat al-maal may be given. This is the opinion of the majority. According to the Maalikis, one of the opinions of Ahmad and the opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah, it should be given exclusively to the poor and needy.
Al-Shaafa'i said: Zakaat al-fitr should be divided among those among whom zakaat al-maal is divided, and it should not be spent anywhere else… It should be shared out among the poor and needy, slaves who have made a contract to purchase their freedom from their masters, debtors, those who are fighting in the way of Allaah, and wayfarers. (15)
Payment and distribution
Imaam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) stated that it is permissible to share out one saa3 among a group of people, or to give many saa3s to one person…
Maalik said: “there is nothing wrong with a man giving sadaqat al-fitr on behalf of himself and his family to one needy person.” (16)
If one is giving less than a saa3 to a poor person, this must be pointed out, because he might use it to pay his own zakaat al-fitr.
It is permissible for a poor person, if he receives zakaat al-fitrah from someone and he has more than he needs, to give it on his own behalf or on behalf of one of those who are dependent on him, if he is sure that the food is OK (i.e., it is the right type of food and the quantity is sufficient).
Where to give zakaat al-fitr
Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni (4/134): As for zakaat al-fitr, it is to be paid in the land where the person from whom it is due is present, whether his wealth is there or not.
We ask Allaah to accept the worship of all of us and to join us with the righteous. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions.
Summarized from the booklet "Zakaat Al-Fitr" by Shaykh Salih Munajjid.
Download the complete booklet from here:
http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/books/54
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References:
(1) (Reported by Abu Dawood, 1371. Al-Nawawi said: Abu Dawood reported it from Ibn ‘Abbaas with a hasan isnaad).
(2) (Al-Jassaas, Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, part 3, Soorat al-A’laa).
(3) (Al-Nawawi, al-Majmoo’, part 6).
(4) (Al-Mughni, part 2, Fasl Waqt Wujoob Zakaat al-Fitr).
(5) (Al-Bukhaari, 1407)
(6) (Al-Umm, part 2, Baab Zakaat al-Fitr).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: "The one who is in financial difficulty is not obliged to give [zakaat al-fitr]; there is no difference among the scholars in this regard… The obligation is determined by whether or not a person can afford it. Whoever has one saa’ more than he needs for himself and those whom he is obliged to support on the night and day of Eid, has enough [is not in financial difficulty]. Whoever does not have anything more than he needs is in financial difficulty, so he is not obliged to pay anything in this case. (Al-Majmoo’, part 6, Shuroot Wujoob Sadaqat al-Fitr).
(7) (Al-Bukhaari, 1407)
(8) (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1412).
(9) (Al-Bukhaari, 1408)
(10) (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1408).
(11) (Al-Shaafa'i, al-Umm, part 2, Baab al-Rajul yakhtalifu qootuhu)
(12) (Al-Bukhaari, 1407).
(13) Saheeh al-Bukhaari
(14) (Reported by Abu Dawood, 1371).
(15) (Kitaab al-Umm: Baab Day�ah Zakaat al-Fitr qabla Qasmihaa)
(16) (al-Mudawwanah, part 1, Baab fi Qasm Zakaat al-Fitr).
