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Zakat Al-Fitr

  1.  The ruling: It is obligatory for every Muslim man and woman due to the hadith of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him who said: “The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him prescribed Zakat al-Fitr in Ramadan.” [Narrated by the Group].
  2. Its wisdom: First: Purifying the fasting person of idle and obscene talk, committed during the month of Ramadan. Second: Feeding the needy and showing compassion with them in the Eid. This is evident in the hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him prescribed Zakat al-Fitr as purification for the fasting person from idle and obscene talk, and to feed the poor.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood].
  3. Who must pay it? It is obligatory on every Muslim man and woman, whether adult or child, whether free or slave, who owns what is more than his needs and the needs of his dependents. Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him prescribed Zakat al-Fitr in Ramadan, one saa of dates or barley .. on the free people and slaves, males and females, children and adults from among the Muslims.” [Narrated by the Group]. It is desirable to give it even for the fetus as Abu Qilaba: “It was liked to pay Zakat al-Fitr on children and adults, even on fetus.” [Narrated by Abdul-Razak with a good attribution].
  4. To whom it is given? Zakat Al-Fitr is given only to the poor and needy, the people who do not have their needs on the day of Eid, due to the hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: “To feed the poor.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood], while the rest of the six categories are not given Zakat al-Fitr except if they are poor or needy.
  5. Its Amount: One Saa for every Muslim, and one saa = 2.176 kg.
  6. Its items: the common food in the country. The hadith of Ibn Omar may Allah be pleased with him reads: The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him prescribed Zakat al-Fitr in Ramadan, one saa of dates or barley .. [Agreed Upon]. In the hadith of Abu Saeed al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him: “We used to give it in the time of the Prophet peace be upon him one saa of food, one saa of dates, one saa of barley, one saa of raisins, or one saa of yogurt.” [Agreed Upon]. The hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him reads: “And to feed the poor.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood]. These hadiths indicate that the item of food is of the common food in country, as Abu Saeed al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him: “Our food was barley, raisins, dates, and yogurt.” [Sahih Bukhari].
  7. The time of paying it: It is recommended to pay it on the day of Eid before the Eid prayer, or one or two days earlier for he who asks for it, and it is not to be paid after the prayer, because it does not count then, and the evidence are the following:

    1.  Paying it on the day of Eid due to Ibn Umar’s hadith, may Allah be pleased with him: “It was commanded to be paid before the prayer.” [Agreed Upon], because it is one of the rituals of the day of Eid, and is intended to purify the fasting person and bringing happiness to the poor in their Eid.
    2. It is permissible to give it to the person who asks for it one or two days earlier as Ibn Umar may Allah be pleased with him said: “They were given it one or two days before al-Fitr.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari] Nafi also narrated that this was for the people who collect it. [Muwatta Malik and Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah].
    3. The reason why it is not considered Zakat after the Eid prayer: Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him said: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) prescribed Zakat Al-Fitr as purification for the fasting person from idle and obscene talk, and to feed the poor. Whoever gives it before the prayer, it is accepted Zakat, and whoever gives it after the prayer, it is a form of charity.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood] i.e.: It is not Zakat. Allah knows best! And May Allah bless Prophet Muhammad!