133. Meaning of Zakat al-Fitr:
The literal meaning of Zakat is to increase or grow. It is also applied to purification because it purifies the one who pays Zakat from sins and increases his reward and blessings. Therefore, it is called Zakat. Allah Almighty has said:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا
“Whoever purifies it has succeeded.”
Fitr: Fitr is a verbal noun derived from افطر الصائم إفطارا, which is derived from “Fitrah,” meaning original creation.
In Shariah terminology, it refers to the charity of the body.
(That is why it is also called Sadaqat al-Fitr.)
135. Evidence for the obligation of Zakat al-Fitr:
Its proof is from the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and consensus of the scholars.
Evidence from the Book: Zakat al-Fitr is included in the general command of Allah Almighty:
وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ meaning “Give Zakat,” and the detailed explanation given by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) includes Zakat al-Fitr.
And Allah Almighty also said:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكَّى
“Indeed, the successful are those who purify themselves.”
It is established that this noble verse was revealed regarding Zakat al-Fitr.
Evidence from the Sunnah: It is narrated in Sahihayn from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
فرض رسول اللہ صلى الله عليه وسلم زكاة الفطر صاعا من تمر أو صاعا من شعير على العبد والحر والذكر والأنثي والصغير والكبير من المسلمين وأمر بها أن تؤدي قبل خروج الناس إلى الصلاة
“The Sadaqat al-Fitr of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was one Sa’ of dates or one Sa’ of barley, made obligatory on the slave, the free, the male, the female, the young, and the old Muslim, and he ordered its payment before the people went out for the Eid prayer.”
Evidence from consensus: Ibn Mundhir and others have narrated the consensus of scholars on its obligation.
137. Wisdom behind the legitimacy of Sadaqat al-Fitr:
The wisdoms behind paying Sadaqat al-Fitr are as follows:
1. To obey the command of Allah Almighty and His Messenger (peace be upon him).
2. To show gratitude to Allah Almighty for the blessing of completing the fast.
3. To purify the fasting person from vain and useless things.
4. To do kindness to the poor and needy and to relieve them from begging on the day of Eid, so that they may share in the joy and happiness of Eid along with the wealthy.
138. Types of food from which Sadaqat al-Fitr should be given:
Sadaqat al-Fitr should be given from the items mentioned in the following hadith of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him):
كنا نخرج زكاة الفطر صاعا من طعام أو صاعا من شعير أو صاعا من تمر أو صاعا من أقط أو صاعا من زبيب
“We used to give Sadaqat al-Fitr as one Sa’ of wheat, or one Sa’ of barley, or one Sa’ of dates, or one Sa’ of dried cheese, or one Sa’ of raisins.”
139. The ruling on giving out other items besides these types:
It is permissible to give out other items related to human food besides those mentioned in the hadith, such as rice and corn, etc. This is the opinion of the scholars and researchers.
140. Which type of item is preferable to give out?
Dates, then raisins, then wheat, then barley, then flour of these two, then gruel of these two, then cheese.
And some scholars have mentioned that among the six items listed above, the preference is for that which considers the welfare of the poor and the common food of the city. This is the best and most preferable.
141. The ruling on giving Sadaqat al-Fitr in cash (monetary value):
It is not permissible to give Sadaqat al-Fitr in cash (monetary value), because this is against the Shariah evidences, as it is neither proven from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) nor from any of his companions that they gave Sadaqat al-Fitr in monetary form. While they were the greatest experts (and followers) of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
142. Obligatory amount of Sadaqah al-Fitr:
One Sa’ of the Prophet’s measure (صاعِ نبوی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم), which is approximately one and a quarter to two kilograms at present. Sheikh “Tayyar” himself measured and mentioned that to our knowledge, this is the clearest measure. And this is the most cautious opinion. And Allah knows best.
143. On whom is Sadaqah al-Fitr obligatory?
Sadaqah al-Fitr is obligatory on every Muslim who has more than the necessary food and essential expenses for himself and his dependents on the day and night of Eid. A person pays this Sadaqah on behalf of himself and the Muslims under his care, such as his wife, his children, his servant for whom he is a guardian and spends on them.
144. The ruling on the child:
The matter of the child is not without two conditions:
➊ If the child is born before sunset (on the night of Eid), it is necessary to give Sadaqah on their behalf.
➋ And if the child is born after sunset, it is not obligatory, but it is recommended. Similarly, if a disbeliever becomes Muslim before sunset, Sadaqah is obligatory on them, and if they embrace Islam after sunset, it is not obligatory.
145. The ruling on the fetus:
Sadaqah al-Fitr is not obligatory on the fetus in the womb, but it is recommended. Therefore, one Sa’ should be given on their behalf.
146. The time of obligation of Sadaqah:
On the last day of Ramadan, Sadaqah al-Fitr becomes obligatory from the time the sun sets.
147. Time for giving Sadaqah:
There are two times for giving Sadaqah al-Fitr:
➊ Preferred time: On the day of Eid, from Fajr prayer until before going out for the Eid prayer.
➋ Permissible time: One or two days before Eid.
However, if a person gives Sadaqah after the Eid prayer, it is not free from two conditions:
➌ Giving it late without excuse, in which case, due to going against the command of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, this Sadaqah will not be accepted. Rather, it will be considered one of the general Sadaqahs. This is established from the hadith of Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما.
➋ If there is a valid excuse for delay, for example, Eid has arrived and the person is outside the town and has nothing to give as Sadaqah or there is no one to receive it; or the news of Eid came suddenly and there was no opportunity to give Sadaqah before the prayer; or the responsibility of giving Sadaqah was given to someone who forgot to give it, then in such cases, there is no harm in giving it after Eid because the person was excused.
148. Eligible recipients of Sadaqat al-Fitr:
Sadaqat al-Fitr should only be given to the poor and needy, etc., for whom it is permissible to take Zakat funds. There are eight categories of people mentioned by Allah Almighty in His following command:
إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّـهِ وَاللَّـهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
“Sadaqah is only for the poor and the needy, and those employed to collect it, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives, and for those in debt, and in the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer; a duty imposed by Allah.”
149. The ruling on transferring Sadaqat al-Fitr to another place:
It is not permissible to transfer Sadaqat al-Fitr from the place where it becomes obligatory to another place, unless there is no eligible recipient there. In such a case, it should be distributed in the nearest city. Because it is a charity of the body.
150. Place for giving Zakat al-Fitr:
At the time of giving Zakat al-Fitr, a person should give it in the place where he is residing, because Zakat al-Fitr is related to the body. Therefore, when the time for giving Zakat al-Fitr arrives, give it in the place where you are staying.
You can understand this with the following examples:
For instance, if you are in “Sharqah” and Eid occurs there, then give Zakat al-Fitr in “Sharqah.”
And if your origin is, for example, “Sharqah,” but at the time of Eid you are in Makkah or elsewhere, then give Zakat al-Fitr in Makkah where you are present at the time of Eid.
However, if a person is in one city and those whom he supports are in another city, then it is necessary for that person to give the Zakat al-Fitr for himself and those under his care in the place where he is present at the time of giving the Zakat. This is similar to the Zakat that a person gives on behalf of someone else.
151. Method of distributing Zakat al-Fitr:
It is permissible for one person to give the Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of the entire group. Similarly, it is permissible for one person to give their own Zakat on behalf of a group.
152. Delegation in Zakat al-Fitr (having someone else distribute it):
➊ Appointing a representative who will pay Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of a person.
It is permissible for a person to appoint someone in their city as a representative so that when they travel to another place, the representative pays their Zakat.
➋ A poor person appointing someone as a representative to receive Zakat al-Fitr.
It is permissible for a poor person to appoint someone as a representative to receive Zakat. In such a case, when the Zakat reaches the representative, it is considered as having reached the principal. However, the condition is that the representative should not be the one obligated to pay the Zakat themselves.
➌ It is not permissible for a person to pay Zakat on behalf of another without their permission. Because this is a form of worship, which requires intention and permission.
153. The ruling on Sadaqah al-Fitr on behalf of the deceased:
The details of this issue are as follows:
➊ If a person dies before sunset, Sadaqah is not obligatory on them.
➋ And if they die after sunset, it is necessary to pay Sadaqah al-Fitr from their estate, and if any heir or another person pays it on their behalf, it is permissible.
We pray to Allah Almighty to accept the prayers, fasting, zakat, Hajj, and all righteous deeds of the Muslims. And to forgive us, our parents, and all Muslims.
وصلي الله على نبينا محمد وعلي آله وصحبه وسلم .
