In His name, the Beneficent, the Merciful

FAQ ON ZAKÂTUL FITRAH

Q. What is Zakâtul Fitrah?
A: It is a religious tax (zakât) payable after completing the fasting period at the end of Holy Ramadhan,

Q. What do the Qur’an and Hadith say about Zakatul Fitrah?
A: Imams c say that the verses: Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success, and remembers (glorifies) the Name of his Lord and prays (87:14 & 15) refer to giving of Fitrah and saying prayers on Eidul Fitr. Imam as-Sâdiq a said: for your fast to be accepted, give zakât.

Q. When does Fitrah become wâjib?
A. The Fitrah becomes wâjib (obligatory) after sunset on the eve of Eidul Fitr; it should be kept aside & paid on Eidul Fitr before Eid prayers, or before midday for those who do not say their Eid prayers. It is essential to have an obligatory intention (niyyat) of paying Fitrah for God’s pleasure only.

Q. What happens if Fitrah is not paid ontime?
A. If one does not pay or set aside the Fitrah within the due time, he should give the Fitrah later, on the basis of precaution, without making the niyyah of adaa or qadhaa but only Qurbatan Ilallah.

Q. Can we give Fitrah in advance?
A. Giving Fitrah before the eve of Eidul Fitr is not permissible. However, if you wish to send Fitrah earlier so that it reaches the needy on Eid day, then send it out as a temporary loan to the needy and then change your intention to Fitrah on the eve of Eid.

Q. Who is supposed to pay the Fitrah?
A. It is obligatory to pay Fitrah on every Muslim who is mature (bâligh), sane, financially able, and conscious on the eve of Eidul Fitr. Fitrah should also be paid on behalf of all dependents (e.g. wife, children) whom one supports financially.

Q. Do we pay Fitrah for our guests?
A. If you invite another person to your house on the eve of Eidul Fitr and if the guest arrives at your place before sunset then it is obligatory for you to pay his Fitrah. If a person arrives uninvited then it is precautionary obligatory (per Ayt. As-Sistani) to pay his Fitrah. Late Ayatullah Sayyid al-Khui was of the opinion that is recommended for the host to pay Fitrah of an uninvited guest.

Q. What happens if the guest arrives after the sunset on Eid night?
A. In this case the guest will pay his/her own Fitrah and it is not obligatory on the host to pay Fitrah for the guest.

Q. How much Fitrah should we pay?
A. Fitrah for a person is given on a weight of three kilograms (one sa`a) on any food commodity like wheat, barley, rice, millet, raisins or dates. Some scholars (e.g Ayt. Sistani) are of the opinion that the item that is not staple food in your place should not be given in Fitrah.

Q. Can we give cash value of any commodity mentioned above?
A. Yes, cash value in lieu of any foodstuff mentioned can be given as Fitrah. So, for e.g., the price of basmati rice $2.50 per kg., the cash value of Fitrah on rice per person would be $7.50.

Q. Whom should we give the Fitrah?
A. It is given to the needy who are unable to meet their own or their dependants annual living expenses, nor does they have the means to do so through earning. According to some scholars (e.g. As-Sistani) such a needy must be a Shi`ah Ithna `Ashari.

Q. Who cannot be given the Fitrah?
A. A needy who: consumes alcohol, does not say his daily prayers (salat), commits sins openly, or he who is known to use the Fitrah in sinful does not deserve the Fitrah.

Q. Are there any additional rules that we need to be aware of?
A. Following are some important rules: (i) Fitrah should not be sent outside the town one resides in if there are deserving people in that town. (ii) Fitrah from a non-Sayyid cannot be given to a needy Sayyid; the reverse is permissible. (iii) A needy should be given at least one Fitrah (iv) Amongst the needy, relatives should be preferred over others when giving Fitrah, next in line are neighbors and then the learned.

Distributed by:

Academy for Learning Islam, Box 12 – 11331 Coppersmith Way, Richmond Canada V7A 5J9. director@academyofislam.com Telephone: 604-214-0786.