What is Zakat al-Fitr? Upon whom is it obligatory? When is it paid? To whom is it paid?

Zakat al-Fitr is one of the obligatory forms of charity for Muslims, paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer or before the end of Ramadan fasting. It is obligatory for every capable Muslim, regardless of age or gender.

Zakat al-Fitr was ordained in the second year of the Hijrah when Allah SWT said, "O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous—[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them]—then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship]—a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess—it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew" (Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183-184).

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The Zakat of Ramadan is a Sa' of dates or a Sa' of barley upon every free Muslim, slave, male, female, young, and old among the Muslims" (Sahih Al-Bukhari).

The wisdom behind the obligation of Zakat al-Fitr is twofold, encompassing individual and collective spiritual purposes.

The individual (spiritual) purpose of Zakat al-Fitr, as stated by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), is "to cleanse the fasting person from any indecent act or speech." This means it purifies Muslims from any violations they may have committed during Ramadan, ensuring their fasting remains pure and untainted.

Fasting and worship entail more than just abstaining from food and drink; they aim to refine the human spirit. Therefore, fasting also requires us to guard our tongues from inappropriate speech. In the past, fasting sometimes meant complete silence, as seen in Surah Maryam 26 (And eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man). Zakat al-Fitr aims to cleanse the fasting person from any inadvertent misconduct during fasting, ensuring purity of speech and action.

The collective purpose of Zakat al-Fitr is to foster unity and solidarity within the community.

Ramadan concludes with one of the greatest celebrations, Eid al-Fitr, where Muslims begin their day with the Eid prayer, a symbol of joy. Children and women also attend these prayers at mosques, followed by festivities and feasts to honor Allah's rituals. Zakat al-Fitr is described by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as "a provision for the needy," meaning it enables the poor to abstain from asking for charity on Eid day and enhances their livelihood, making Eid a day of happiness and delight for all segments of society.

Who is obligated to pay Zakat al-Fitr?

Several companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), especially those who meticulously preserved his teachings, such as Abu Huraira and Ibn Umar, affirmed that Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory upon every Muslim, male or female, young or old. They said, "The Messenger of Allah ordained Zakat al-Fitr, a Sa' of dates or a Sa' of barley, upon every free Muslim, slave, male, female, young, and old among the Muslims, and ordered it to be paid before people go out to perform the Eid prayer." Abu Huraira also narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ordained Zakat al-Fitr from Ramadan upon every free Muslim, slave, male or female, among the Muslims."

Married Muslim women

Most scholars agree that Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory for every Muslim without exception. The Hanafi school of thought (and the Zahiris) considers individual obligation to include Muslim women, whether married or unmarried, from their wealth. Other schools of thought require husbands to pay Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of their Muslim wives. However, ultimately, each individual must fulfill this obligation.

Children

If children possess wealth, Zakat is paid for by their possessions. If children do not have their wealth, their guardians pay Zakat on behalf of the sons and daughters as an obligation. While some scholars require only the father to pay on behalf of his child, it is not obligatory for an orphan.

The opinion that Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory for every Muslim, "young or old," is the strongest and most widely accepted opinion. This does not include the fetus still in the womb, according to most scholars. However, the opinions of some prominent companions, such as Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), seem to encourage parents to pay Zakat al-Fitr for children not yet born, which is a beneficial charity regardless.

The Poor

The majority view is that every Muslim must pay Zakat al-Fitr, even the poor because its obligation falls on the individual, not their wealth. The only exemption is for those who do not possess enough food, shelter, clothing, and necessities on the day of Eid. Debt does not exempt one from paying Zakat al-Fitr unless that debt is due on the day of Eid itself and paying it would result in an insufficient provision for the basic needs of that day.

Is it permissible to pay Zakat al-Fitr in cash?

Yes, according to most contemporary scholars. The narration of the companion Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) and others is the basis for determining the quantity and types of Zakat al-Fitr. He said, "We used to give Zakat al-Fitr during Ramadan in the form of one Sa' of foodstuff, or one Sa' of dates, or one Sa' of barley, or one Sa' of raisins, or one Sa' of dried yogurt." This practice continued until Mu'awiyah came to us in Al-Madinah and said, "I think that two Mudds (a measure of volume) of wheat are equal to one Sa' of dates." A Sa' is a measurement volume equivalent to four doubled handfuls.

The point most scholars emphasize today is that this hadith indicates an equivalence equation. At that time, wheat was rare in the Arabian Peninsula and was relatively more valuable. Traditionally, most scholars did not agree to pay Zakat al-Fitr in cash. They restricted it to the types of food mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) that were common among the Muslims of the region where it was paid. However, the jurist Abu Hanifa and some prominent scholars allowed its payment in cash.

Cash payment has now become widely accepted among Muslims, with many Zakat collection institutions converting cash payments into food items for distribution during Eid to the needy, refugees, displaced persons, and the poor.

Paying Zakat al-Fitr in cash these days is generally considered more beneficial than donating food items. Additionally, most scholars consider the food items mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to be common among the people of that time, and therefore more beneficial to their needy. Hence, these scholars view these food items as exemplary suggestions that demonstrate the relative value and purpose of Zakat al-Fitr.

In this regard, most scholars today agree that the value of Zakat al-Fitr should be sufficient to feed a needy person on the day of Eid based on the cost of food in the recipient's locality.

The Hanafi school of thought does not rule out which type of Zakat al-Fitr is better – food, as mentioned in the hadith, or its equivalent value in money. Instead, it emphasizes the method of payment that would be most beneficial to the poor.

Can the amount of Zakat al-Fitr exceed the minimum limit?

Yes, it is recommended to pay more than the required minimum if possible. It is said that Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When Allah grants you prosperity, you should also give more" (see "Zad al-Ma'ad," Fiqh al-Zakat, 586).

What is the time for giving Zakat al-Fitr?

Scholars have long agreed that Zakat al-Fitr should be given at the time of sunset on the last day of Ramadan. The Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools of thought say it should be given at the sunset of the last fasting day of Ramadan. The Hanafi school and others, including some Maliki scholars, say it should be given before the Eid prayer.

Some believe the best time to give it is early on the day of Eid. Others allow giving it one or two days before Eid. However, some insist that it must be given before the Eid prayer, based on a hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas from the Prophet Muhammad: "Whoever gives it before the prayer, it is an accepted Zakat, and whoever gives it after the prayer, it is just a charity."

Al-Shafi'i says Zakat al-Fitr can be given at any time during Ramadan. Abu Hanifa rules that it can even be given at the beginning of the year, like wealth Zakat, the obligatory charity on wealth.

All scholars agree that it is not permissible to delay it after Eid day. Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said: "We used to give Zakat al-Fitr during the time of the Prophet, for every young and old person, free or slave, a Sa' of food, or a Sa' of barley, or a Sa' of dates, or a Sa' of raisins."

The purpose of giving it on Eid day is to ensure its distribution to the poor and to make them happy on the day of Eid.

Who should receive Zakat al-Fitr?

Scholars, including Ibn Rushd in "Bidayat al-Mujtahid," agree that poor Muslims are the ones who are entitled to benefit from Zakat al-Fitr according to Shariah.

A poor person may also receive Zakat al-Fitr from more than one donor, although scholars disapprove of dividing a single payment among many recipients, as it seems to contradict the purpose of Zakat al-Fitr, which is to suffice a poor person for the day of Eid.

Zakat al-Fitr cannot be given to individuals for whom the payer is already responsible – such as the husband's wife, children, parents, and so on. This ruling is similar to Zakat on wealth. It is also not permissible to give it to non-Muslims or the wealthy.

Most scholars rule that Zakat al-Fitr can be given to the poor and needy or its eight designated recipients (as mentioned in Surah At-Tawbah, 9:60). The Hanbali and Maliki schools of thought assert that Zakat al-Fitr is exclusively for the poor, even if it must be sent to another country at the expense of the payer (according to the Maliki). According to the Shafi'i principle, the same eight categories of recipients for Zakat on wealth also apply to Zakat al-Fitr if the payer does not distribute their payments.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged "pleasing" the poor, placing them at the forefront of receiving Zakat al-Fitr in Islamic society.