بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Ruling On Zakat-Ul-Fitr
The fifth question of Fatwa no. 5733
Q 5: Is it an authentic Hadith that says: “The Sawm (Fasting) of Ramadan is not raised (to Allah) until Zakat-ul-Fitr (obligatory charity paid before the Festival of Breaking the Fast) is paid”? Is Zakat-ul-Fitr obligatory on a fasting Muslim who is needy and does not have the Nisab (the minimum amount on which Zakah is due) based on the authenticity of the previous Hadith or other Islamic textual evidence authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him)?
A:Zakat-ul-Fitr is obligatory on every Muslim who should be self-supporting if he has one Sa‘ (1 Sa‘ = 2.172 kg) or more in excess of his and his family’s need on the day and night of ‘Eid-ul-Fitr (the Festival of Breaking the Fast). This is based on the Hadith authentically reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) 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 go out to offer ‘Eid Prayer.
| (Part No. 9; Page No. 365) |
(Related by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim and the wording is that of Al-Bukhari)
Moreover, Abu Sa‘id Al-Khudry (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said: We used to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr as one Sa‘ of food, or one Sa‘ of dried dates, or one Sa‘ of barley, or one Sa‘ of raisins, or one Sa‘ of curd during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). (Related by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
It will also suffice to discharge the obligation by giving a Sa‘ of the local staple food such as rice and the like. Sa‘ here means the Sa‘ of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), which is four handfuls scooped up with the two hands of an average built man. Accordingly, a person who does not pay Zakat-ul-Fitr is sinful and has to make up for it. With regard to the Hadith you have mentioned, we know nothing to the effect of its authenticity.
We ask Allah to guide you and to make our words and deeds and yours righteous.
May Allah grant us success! May blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!
Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’
| Member | Member | Deputy Chairman | Chairman |
| `Abdullah ibn Qa`ud | `Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan | `Abdul-Razzaq `Afify | `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz |
Source : Fatwas of the Permanent Committee
Zakat-ul-Fitr Measurement Chart
A group of students of knowledge performed these measurements; among them was Shaykh Muhammad FerkousTaken from:
Type of Food Measurement Type of Food Measurement
Rice 2300 grams/5.07lbs Flour 2000 grams/4.40lbs
Raisins 1640 grams/3.61lbs Farina (a cerealfood) 1400 grams/3.08lbs
Dates 1800 grams/3.96lbs Beans 2060 grams/4.54lbs
Wheat 2040 grams/4.49lbs Green Peas 2240 grams/4.93lbs
Lentils 2100 grams/4.62lbs Couscous 1800 grams/3.96lbs
Chickpeas 2000 grams/4.40lbs Roasted Nuts 2000 grams/4.40lbs
Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee
أخوكم
أبو بلال نعيم بن عبد المجيد
(وفق الله الجميع للعلم النافع والعمل الصالح)
It is reported that Imâm Muhammad b. Sîrîn – Allâh have mercy on him – said:
“There were people who abandoned knowledge and sitting with the scholars, and [instead] took to their chambers and prayed until their skin dried [from exertion in worship]. Thereafter they began to contradict the Sunnah and thus were destroyed. By Allâh, never does a person act without knowledge, except that he spoils and corrupts more than he fixes and rectifies.{Al-Asbahânî, Al-Targhîb wa Al-Tarhîb 3:98}
Abu Mariyah Junaid Bin Munawar Bin Ali Al-Hindi
haqkidawat@gmail.com
Twitter : @haqkidawat
Note: If anyone no longer wish to receive emails from haqkidawat@gmail.com then e-mail us with the word “remove” in the subject heading.
