Brief Notes On The Most Important Rulings Of Zakaatul-Fitr 

Main Hadiths On Zakaatul-Fitr 

Hadith 1:

"عَنِ اِبْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اَللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: ((فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-زَكَاةَ اَلْفِطْرِ, صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ, أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ: عَلَى اَلْعَبْدِ وَالْحُرِّ, وَالذَّكَرِ, وَالْأُنْثَى, وَالصَّغِيرِ, وَالْكَبِيرِ, مِنَ اَلْمُسْلِمِينَ, وَأَمَرَ بِهَا أَنْ تُؤَدَّى قَبْلَ خُرُوجِ اَلنَّاسِ إِلَى اَلصَّلَاةِ )). مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْه ِ.‏" 

Ibn ’Umar (رضي الله عنه) narrated, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) enjoined the payment of one sa' of dates or one sa' of barley as Zakatul-fitr on every Muslim, slave or free, male or female, young or old, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the 'Id prayer.’ 

[Agreed upon]

Hadith 2:

"وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ اَلْخُدْرِيِّ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- قَالَ: ((كُنَّا نُعْطِيهَا فِي زَمَانِ اَلنَّبِيِّ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-صَاعًا مِنْ طَعَامٍ, أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ, أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ, أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ زَبِيبٍ)). مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْه 

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) narrated, “We used to offer it (Zakatul-fitr) during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) as one sa’ of food or one sa' of dates, or one sa' of barley or one sa' of raisins.’’ 

[Agreed upon]

 Hadith 3:

"وَعَنِ اِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اَللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ:  ((فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-زَكَاةَ اَلْفِطْرِ; طُهْرَةً لِلصَّائِمِ مِنَ اَللَّغْوِ, وَالرَّفَثِ, وَطُعْمَةً لِلْمَسَاكِينِ, فَمَنْ أَدَّاهَا قَبْلَ اَلصَّلَاةِ فَهِيَ زَكَاةٌ مَقْبُولَةٌ, وَمَنْ أَدَّاهَا بَعْدَ اَلصَّلَاةِ فَهِيَ صَدَقَةٌ مِنَ اَلصَّدَقَاتِ))1.‏  رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ, وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ, وَصَحَّحَهُ اَلْحَاكِم ُ .‏" 

Ibn ’Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) enjoined Zakatul-fitr on the one who fasts (i.e. fasted during the month of Ramadan) to purify him from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy. It is accepted as Zakah for the person who pays it before the Eid prayer and it is Sadaqah (i.e. voluntary charity) for the person who pays it after the Eid prayer.’ 

[Authentic. Related by Abu Dawud and others]

Rullings Pertaining To Zakaatul-Fitr

1: Zakaatul-fitr is wajib according to the most correct view, which is the view of the majority of the scholars.

2: The wisdom behind zakaatul-fitr is to purify the Muslim from sins, to expiate any shortcomings which took place in his fasting in Ramadan and to feed the needy.

3: Zakaatul-fitr is an obligation upon every Muslim. Children and adults, males and females, sane or insane. This is by consensus.

4: It's upon the husband to give the zakaatul-fitr for his wife and dependent children according to the view of the majority of scholars. It's also the view of Ibnu Taymiya.

5: The orphans give zakaatul-fitr from their own wealth. This is the view of the majority of the scholars.

6: There is no set nisaab (limit) like the zakaat of money which determine when zaakatul-fitr becomes obligated upon a particular person. However, the criterion for that is; the one who has extra over his day and night meal. So based upon this, even the poor one who finds that extra is to give because it's a must for him to purify himself.

7: Zakaatul-fitr is to be given in food only, from the types of foods which are prominent in that country (rice, wheat, dates etc.)

8: One should try and give the best of foods and most beneficial to the needy. This is more rewarding no doubt.

9: It's not permissible to give out food in bad condition for zakaatul-fitr.

10: The quantity of the food for zakaatul-fitr is four palms (of two normal handfuls). This measument is the same for all types of food.

11. One can give the zakaatul-fitr by using weight scales. However the measurements will differ in the variety of foods. So there is no one weight scale for all foods as it's the case when using your two palms, which is highly encouraged to implement by the scholars.

12: The weight for dates: (3.8kg)

      Rice: (2.55kg)

      Brown flower: (2.45kg)

      White flower: (2kg)

      Wheat: (1.5kg)

13: Zakaatul-fitr is to be given in food only, not by money! This is the view of the majority of the scholars. Rather, giving it in cash is an innovation and will not be accepted!, and it's upon him to repeat with food, and the burden is not lifted from his neck until he carries out this act of worship as prescribed in the sunnah.

14: Zakaatul-fitr is to be given specially to the poor and needy from the Muslims only, and prefably to the righteous. 

Ibnu Taymiya states: "Those who don't pray from the needy are not to be given anything until they repent."

15: It's best for one to give his zakaatul-fitr himself in his own country. However, it is allowed to entrust others to carry it out on his behalf in the case where he's busy or there are no needy Muslims in his country of abode.

16: You can give your zakaatul-fitr to your close relatives who are poor, those who it is not an obligation upon you to provide for. E.g. your sisters, brothers, cousins, uncles etc. As for those who it's upon you to provide for, like your wife, kids and parents, then it's not permissible to give to them.

17: The prescibed time to give zakaatul-fitr is on eid day. You must give your zakaatul-fitr before the eid prayer.

18: It's a sin to delay zakaatul-fitr outside its prescribed time without a valid reason. If one does this then it's invalid as zakaatul-fitr. 

19: The one who delayed it from its time for a valid excuse, like the one who forgot, or he didn't know today was Eid, he gives it and he's rewarded inshallah, similar to the situation with the prayer.

20: As for the one who delays it deliberately, he is a sinner, and it's upon him to make towba (repentance). And must he give it anyway, it will count as a general sadaqa on his behalf inshallah. This is the view of the majority of the scholars (that it doesn't drop from him).

21: It's not permissible to give the zakaatul-fitr before its prescribed time without a valid reason. But one can give his zakaatul-fitr before the day of Eid by a day or two or more to an entrustee who will distribute it on the day of Eid before the Salah.

Walhamdulilaah.

Abu Haroon Muhammad As-Somali

#Zakat  #Hadith #QA #Ramadan

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