Zakat -ul- Fitr (Zakat Part 3)

Zakat -ul- Fitr (Zakat Part 3)
-By Prof. Ziauddin Ahmad

• Zakat -ul -Fitr is a type of Sadaqah which must be paid by every Muslim, young and old, male and female, free and slave, at the end of the Month of Fasting (Ramadan).

• The purpose of Zakat -ul- Fitr is to purify one who fasts from any indecent act or speech and to help the poor and needy.

• Zakat ul Fitr is incumbent on every free Muslim who possesses one Sa of dates or barley which is not needed as a basic food for himself or his family for the duration of one day and night. Every free Muslim must pay Zakat ul Fitr for himself, his wife, children, and servants. (One Sa’ equals approximately three kilograms).

• The required amount of Zakat ul Fitr is one Sa’ of wheat, rice or corn or similar items considered as basic foods.

• Abu Hanifah made it permissible to set aside, as a Zakat ul Fitr, an equivalent value and also said that if the payer pays in wheat, one half of a Sa’ would be sufficient.

• Most scholars believe that it is permissible to pay Zakat ul Fitr a day or two before Eid. According to Abu Hanifah, it is permissible to pay it even before Ramadan. Ash-Shafi holds that it is permissible to do so at the beginning of Ramadan. Malik and Ahmad maintain that it is permissible to pay it only one or two days in advance.

• The founders of the four accepted Islamic legal schools agree that Zakat ul Fitr is not nullified simply by not paying it on its due date. In such a case, it becomes a debt on the one who is responsible for it until it is paid. They also agree that it is not permissible to delay it until the day of Eid.

• The distribution of Zakat ul Fitr is the same as that of Zakat that is, it has to be distributed to the eight groups of beneficiaries mentioned in the ayah. (At Taubah : 60)

• Az-Zuhri, Abu Hanifah, Muhammad, and Ibn Subrumah make it permissible to give Zakat ul Fitr to a dhimmi. Allah, the Exalted One says:“Allah allows you to show kindness and deal justly with those who did not war against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Lo! Allah loves those who are just.” (at Mumtahanah :8)

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Hadiths found in 'Obligatory Charity Tax After Ramadaan (Zakat ul Fitr)' of Sahih Bukhari.

579

Narrated Ibn Umar: Allah's Apostle enjoined the payment of one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley as Zakat-ul-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. (One Sa' = 3 Kilograms approx.)

580

Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Allah's Apostle made it incumbent on all the slave or free Muslims, male or female, to pay one Sa' of dates or barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr.

581

Narrated Abu Said: We used to give one Sa' of barley as Sadaqatul-Fitr (per head).

582

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: We used to give one Sa' of meal or one Sa' of barley or one Sa' of dates, or one Sa' of cottage cheese or one Sa' of Raisins (dried grapes) as Zakat-ul-Fitr.

583

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar The Prophet ordered (Muslims) to give one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr. The people rewarded two Mudds of wheat as equal to that.

584

Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri: In the life-time of the Prophet we used to give one Sa' of food or one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley or one Sa' of Raisins (dried grapes) as Sadaqat-ul-Fitr. And when Muawiya became the Caliph and the wheat was (available in abundance) he said, "I think (observe) that one Mudd (of wheat) equals two Mudds (of any of the above mentioned things).

585

Narrated Ibn 'Umar: The Prophet ordered the people to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr before going to the 'Id prayer.

586

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: In the life-time of Allah's Apostle , we used to give one Sa' of food (edible things) as Sadaqat-ul-Fit,r (to the poor). Our food used to be either of barley, raisins (dried grapes), cottage cheese or dates.

587

Narrated Nafi': Ibn 'Umar said, "The Prophet made incumbent on every male or female, free man or slave, the payment of one Sa' of dates or barley as Sadaqat-ul-Fitr (or said Sadaqa-Ramadan)." The people then substituted half Sa' of wheat for that. Ibn 'Umar used to give dates (as Sadaqat-ulFitr). Once there was scarcity of dates in Medina and Ibn 'Umar gave barley. 'And Ibn 'Umar used to give Sadaqat-ul-Fitr for every young and old person. He even used to give on behalf of my children. Ibn 'Umar used to give Sadaqatul-Fitr to those who had been officially appointed for its collection. People used to give Sadaqat-ul-Fitr (even) a day or two before the 'Id.

588

Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Allah's Apostle has made Sadaqatul-Fitr obligatory, (and it was), either one Sa' of barley or one Sa' of dates (and its payment was obligatory) on young and old people, and on free men as well as on slaves.