A Reminder About Zakat al-Fitr and Its Rulings

Know, my dear Muslim brother, may Allah grant us and you success in His obedience, that the obligatory acts of worship are the best means of drawing nearer to Allah, the Exalted. Among these obligations is Zakat al-Fitr, which is due during the blessed month of Ramadan.

Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory for one who has lived part of Ramadan and part of Shawwal, i.e., if a person is alive at sunset on the last day of Ramadan. Therefore, it is obligatory for the guardian of a newborn who was born on the last days of Ramadan and lived part of Shawwal.

A Muslim must give Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of himself and those for whom he is responsible, provided they are Muslim.

If someone has parents who are both Muslim and poor, he is required to give Zakat al-Fitr on their behalf.

It is also obligatory for a Muslim man to pay the Zakat al-Fitr for his wife and children who are under the age of maturity. However, if a son or daughter has reached maturity, it is not obligatory for the father to pay the Zakat al-Fitr on their behalf. Instead, the adult child must pay it for himself or herself, if able. If the child is unable, the father may pay on his behalf with his consent.

Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory on anyone who has wealth beyond their debts, clothing, housing, and the sustenance of those they are responsible for on the day and night of Eid. The amount of Zakat al-Fitr that must be paid for each person is one sa’ (a traditional Islamic measure of volume) of the predominant food of the country.

In the Levant and similar regions, this is equivalent to the amount filled by two cupped hands four times with wheat, known as the sa’.

According to the Hanafi school of thought, the amount is half a sa’ of wheat, or its flour or barley, or one sa’ of dates, raisins, or their value.

It is essential to have the intention (niyyah) when giving Zakat al-Fitr, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Actions are judged by their intentions,” meaning that righteous actions are only valid with a sincere intention.

Zakat al-Fitr can be given to any of the eight categories mentioned in the Qur’an as eligible for receiving zakat, such as the poor and the needy.

It must be given before sunset on the day of Eid. It is prohibited to delay it beyond that without a valid excuse. It is permissible to pay it at the beginning of Ramadan, but it is recommended to give it before the Eid prayer.

Dear Muslim brother, as Ramadan is nearing its end, have you prepared yourself to perform the obligatory acts of worship and do good deeds before this month of the Qur’an and blessings departs from us?