The Sunni Association in Iraq / Zakat al-Fitr

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Zakat al-Fitr

All praise is to Allah, the Provider, the Generous, and prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family; all his followers. As for what follows:

Ramadan is a time for Zakat and charity, and many of the predecessors and scholars encouraged giving Zakat during Ramadan. However, Zakat al-Fitr has no other time but this.

Zakat al-Fitr was mandated in Sha'ban in the second year of Hijrah for every Muslim, whether free or enslaved, male or female, adult or child, who possesses more than their and their dependents' needs for one day and night. This is the view of the three Imams: Malik, Al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad.

A Muslim should pay it on behalf of themselves and those whose expenses they are responsible for. This includes a child born before the night of Eid. If one pays it on behalf of someone they are not financially responsible for, it is valid but not obligatory.

It is not obligatory to pay it for an unborn child, but whoever voluntarily does so is making a commendable advance; Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, used to do this.

It is permissible to appoint someone or an entity to deliver it, and there is no harm in doing so.

Its wisdom is clear:

- It is an act of kindness to the poor and needy, providing them with sustenance to bring joy on Eid day.

- It purifies the fasting person, as in Sunan Abi Dawud from Ibn Abbas, who said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, ordained Zakat al-Fitr as a purification for the fasting person from idle talk and obscenities, and as food for the needy."

The original practice is to give it from food to serve as sustenance for the poor and needy. Its amount is a Sa' of any type of food that constitutes a staple in the country, like dates, meat, rice, wheat, etc.

A Sa' by volume ranges between two kilograms (2,000 grams) to two and a half kilograms (2,700 grams), depending on the type of food. And whoever gives more, it is better ("And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward"). It is permissible to give it in cash for a valid reason or to avoid a significant harm, which is the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa, Ishaq, and a group of the followers. Giving it in food was legislated to ease both the giver, by allowing them to give from their own food, and the receiver, by providing them with immediate sustenance without the effort of purchasing food. This aligns with the legislative context of Zakat on wealth, expiations, vows, etc., where it is given according to what is easiest for the giver and most beneficial for the recipient. If giving it in food causes its spoilage or deprives the needy of its benefit or causes considerable hardship on the giver, then giving it in cash becomes more emphasized, especially under current circumstances where access between countries or even within regions of the same country is severed. Some needy may end up selling the food at a low value in search of the cash they need, thereby causing hardship on the giver and wasting the benefit for the recipient. Its value is estimated at 2,500 Iraqi Dinars in Iraq and 27 Turkish Lira in Turkey.

The best time to give it is before the Eid prayer, and it is permissible to give it one or two days before. It is not permissible to delay it until after the Eid prayer. Whoever does not pay it until after the Eid prayer must still give it as a form of charity. In the Sahihayn, from Abdullah bin Umar: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, commanded that Zakat al-Fitr be given before people go out to the prayer." And in Bukhari, "They used to give it one or two days before the Fitr." And in the Sunan, "Whoever gives it before the prayer, it is an accepted Zakat; and whoever gives it after the prayer, it is a charity among the charities."

The rightful recipients are the poor and needy, and it is not permissible to give it to the wealthy. Whoever gives it to a wealthy person knowingly has not fulfilled the obligation, and it is forbidden for the wealthy to take it for themselves or their family.

O Allah, You are Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive us, and may Allah's prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family; all his followers.