Written by: Ash-Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbani (ḥafiẓahullāh)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed that Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr should be given before the ʿĪd prayer.
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) reported:
فرض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم زكاة الفطر صاعا من تمر أو صاعا من شعير على العبد، والحر، والذكر، والأنثى، والصغير، والكبير من المسلمين، وأمر بها أن تؤدى قبل خروج الناس إلى الصلاة
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ made Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr obligatory—a ṣāʿ of dates or a ṣāʿ of barley—upon the slave and the free, the male and the female, the young and the old among the Muslims. And he commanded that it be given before the people go out for the prayer (of ʿĪd).”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Zakāh: Chapter on Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr, 1503; Muslim 984]
From this authentic Hadith, it is clear that Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr must be given before the ʿĪd prayer.
It is authentically reported:
وكانوا يعطون قبل الفطر بيوم أو يومين
“The Companions used to give Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr one or two days before ʿĪd al-Fiṭr.”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Zakāh: Chapter on Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr for the Free and the Slave, 1511]
Nāfiʿ (رحمه الله) narrated:
أن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما كان يبعث زكاة الفطر إلى الذي يجمع عنده قبل الفطر بيومين أو ثلاثة
“ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) would send his Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr to the one collecting it two or three days before ʿĪd al-Fiṭr.”
— [Fatḥ al-Bārī 3/376]
There is also a narration involving Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه), in which the Prophet ﷺ assigned him to guard the collected Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr, and a devil came three consecutive nights to steal from it. On the third night, he told Abū Hurayrah an āyah (Āyat al-Kursī) and escaped.
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Wakālah: Chapter on When a Person Entrusts Someone and the Agent Leaves Something, 2311]
ويدل على ذلك أيضا ما أخرجه البخاري في الوكالة وغيرها عن أبي هريرة قال وكلني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بحفظ زكاة رمضان . . . الحديث، وفيه أنه أمسك الشيطان ثلاث ليال وهو يأخذ من التمر، فدل على أنهم كانوا يعجلونها
“This also proves that Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr would be given earlier, as reported by al-Bukhārī in the Book of Agency and others. In that narration, Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) was appointed by the Prophet ﷺ to guard the Zakah of Ramadan (i.e., Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr), and the narration describes how he caught a devil stealing from the dates over three consecutive nights—this indicates that the Companions would give Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr in advance.”
— [Fatḥ al-Bārī 3/376–377]
✔ Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr must be given before the ʿĪd prayer
✔ It is recommended and valid to give it two or even three days before ʿĪd
✔ This was the practice of the Companions, including ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما)
✔ Giving it earlier helps ensure it reaches the needy in time
✔ The modern delay in distributing it until the morning of ʿĪd or afterward contradicts this practice
And Allah knows best what is correct.
❖ Question:
How many days before the ʿĪd prayer can Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr (Fiṭrah) be given? Is it necessary to give it earlier?❖ Answer:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed that Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr should be given before the ʿĪd prayer.
❖ Clear Instruction from the Prophet ﷺ:
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) reported:
فرض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم زكاة الفطر صاعا من تمر أو صاعا من شعير على العبد، والحر، والذكر، والأنثى، والصغير، والكبير من المسلمين، وأمر بها أن تؤدى قبل خروج الناس إلى الصلاة
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ made Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr obligatory—a ṣāʿ of dates or a ṣāʿ of barley—upon the slave and the free, the male and the female, the young and the old among the Muslims. And he commanded that it be given before the people go out for the prayer (of ʿĪd).”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Zakāh: Chapter on Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr, 1503; Muslim 984]
From this authentic Hadith, it is clear that Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr must be given before the ʿĪd prayer.
❖ Practice of the Companions:
It is authentically reported:
وكانوا يعطون قبل الفطر بيوم أو يومين
“The Companions used to give Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr one or two days before ʿĪd al-Fiṭr.”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Zakāh: Chapter on Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr for the Free and the Slave, 1511]
Nāfiʿ (رحمه الله) narrated:
أن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما كان يبعث زكاة الفطر إلى الذي يجمع عنده قبل الفطر بيومين أو ثلاثة
“ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) would send his Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr to the one collecting it two or three days before ʿĪd al-Fiṭr.”
— [Fatḥ al-Bārī 3/376]
❖ Additional Evidence:
There is also a narration involving Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه), in which the Prophet ﷺ assigned him to guard the collected Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr, and a devil came three consecutive nights to steal from it. On the third night, he told Abū Hurayrah an āyah (Āyat al-Kursī) and escaped.
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Wakālah: Chapter on When a Person Entrusts Someone and the Agent Leaves Something, 2311]
❖ Commentary by Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله):
ويدل على ذلك أيضا ما أخرجه البخاري في الوكالة وغيرها عن أبي هريرة قال وكلني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بحفظ زكاة رمضان . . . الحديث، وفيه أنه أمسك الشيطان ثلاث ليال وهو يأخذ من التمر، فدل على أنهم كانوا يعجلونها
“This also proves that Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr would be given earlier, as reported by al-Bukhārī in the Book of Agency and others. In that narration, Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) was appointed by the Prophet ﷺ to guard the Zakah of Ramadan (i.e., Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr), and the narration describes how he caught a devil stealing from the dates over three consecutive nights—this indicates that the Companions would give Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr in advance.”
— [Fatḥ al-Bārī 3/376–377]
❖ Conclusion:
✔ Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr must be given before the ʿĪd prayer
✔ It is recommended and valid to give it two or even three days before ʿĪd
✔ This was the practice of the Companions, including ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما)
✔ Giving it earlier helps ensure it reaches the needy in time
✔ The modern delay in distributing it until the morning of ʿĪd or afterward contradicts this practice
And Allah knows best what is correct.
