Zakat-ul-Fitr
It Ruling:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ made Zakat-ul-Firt obligatory during Ramadhan as one Sa’ of dried dates or one Sa’ of barley upon the slave and the free man, the male and the female, and the young and the old of the Muslim.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Its Wisdom:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ made Zakat-ul-Fitr obligatory as a purification for the fasting person form useless, non-beneficial speech (or acts) and obscene speech (or behavior), and as a means of feeding the poor.” (Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah)
Note: The remainder of it states: “So whoever gives it before the prayer (Salat-ul’Eid) , then it is an accepted Zakah, and whoever gives it after the prayer (Salat-ul-Eid), then it is charity (Sadaqah) from the charities.”
«أَغْنُوهُمْ عَنِ السَّوَالِ فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ»
The Amount and Type of Food:
The amount of Zakat-ul-fitr is a Sa’ , and a Sa’ is four Amdad (cupped handfuls). It is given form the usual staple foods of the people of the land, whether it is wheat, or barely , or dried dates, or rice, or raisins or cheese. This is due to the statement of Abu’ Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him):
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺwas among us, we used to give Zakat-ul-Fitr on behalf of every person, young and old, free or owned (i.e. a slave), as a Sa’ of Ta’am{2} or a Sa’ of cheese (dried milk) or a Sa’ of barley or a Sa’ of dried dates, or a Sa’ of raisins.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Note:The meaning of Ta’am is millet or corn.
It is Only given from items of Food:
Its Time:
Its Recipients:
«أَغْنُوهُمْ عَنِ السُّوَالِ فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ»
Important Notes:
- 1:It is permissible for a wealthy woman to pay her Zakah to her husband, who is poor, however the opposite is not permissible. This is because the maintenance of the woman is obligatory upon the man and the maintenance of the man is not obligatory upon the woman.
- 2:Zakat-ul-Fitr is not required form one who does not possess a day’s worth of food, as Allah does not burden a soul except with what it can bear.
- 3:Whoever possesses more than a day’s worth of food and he given it (as his Zakat-ul-Fitr),this will suffice him. This is due to Allah’s statement:
فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ
- 4:It is permissible to give to charity of in individual to a number of people, distributing it among them, and it is permissible to give the charity of a number of individuals to one individual, as the giving of charity is mentioned in the Shari’ah in unrestricted terms.
- 5:The Zakat-ul-Fitr is obligatory upon the Muslim in the land in which he resides.
- 6:It is not permissible to transfer Zakat-ul-Fitr form one land to another, except if there is a pressing need. Its situation is the same as Zakah.
