Zakat

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Every Muslim is required to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr at the conclusion of the month of Ramadan as a token of thankfulness to God for having enabled him to observe fasts. Its purpose is to purify those who fast from any indecent act or speech and to help the poor and needy. This view is based upon the hadith, which reads, “The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, enjoined Zakat-ul-Fitr on those who fast to shield them from any indecent act or speech, and for the purpose of providing food for the needy. It is accepted as Zakat for the one who pays it before the Eid prayer, and it is sadaqah for the one who pays it after the prayer.”
Al-Qaradawi comments on this hadith by saying that there are two purposes: one is related to the individual; for completion of his fast and compensation for any shortcomings in his acts or speech. The other is related to society; for the spreading of love and happiness among its members, particularly the poor and needy, during the day of Eid. It also purifies one’s soul from such shortcomings as the adoration of property, and from miserliness. Furthermore, it purifies one’s property from the stain of unlawful earnings. It is also a cure for ailments. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “It would be better that you treat your patients with charity.”
In addition, it provides for the needs of the poor and the indigent and relieves them from having to ask others for charity on the day of Eid. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Fulfil their need on this day (i.e, the day of Eid).”
Zakat-ul-Fitr is incumbent on every free Muslim who possesses one Sa’ of dates or barley which is not needed as 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. This is the opinion of Imam Malik, Al-Shafi’i, and Ahmad. Imam Abu Hanifah, however, said that it is only obligatory for one who possesses a nisab
(a minimum amount of property) after
fulfilling the costs of his house, servant, horse and weapon.
Al-Khattabi explained that Zakat-ul-Fitr was obligatory for all Muslims, not only those who possess the nisab stating that this is the view of the majority of scholars. He said, “In essence, the rationale behind it was stated to be the purification of one who fasts from any indecent act or speech. And since every Muslim needs this, it is therefore obligatory upon every fasting Muslim, whether rich or poor, who possesses one Sa’ in excess of his main staple food for the duration of one day and night. This is because so long as the essential rationale is shared by all Muslims, then they also share the same obligation.”
Al-Qaradawi also asserts the majority view when he says, “It is a virtuous wisdom of Islam that it makes this Zakat obligatory not only on the rich, but also upon nearly every Muslim, for you can hardly find a person who does not possess one Sa’ of food above his main staple food for the duration of one day and night. The wisdom behind this obligation, therefore, is to prepare the poor to practice benevolence and feel the dignity and honour of giving in charity. Allah described the believers with these words, “Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity.’ Thus if we contemplate on this wisdom, we will not find it strange that the needy pay this Zakat, because it does not cause them to suffer any loss. He will pay only his Zakat and then receive the Zakat
of various people.”
Moreover, we have to bear in mind that Zakat-ul-Fitr is obligatory for everyone who lives until the sun sets on the last day of Ramadan. This is the point of view of the Shafi’is, Hanbalis, and Malikis. Accordingly, whoever dies before the sunsets on the last day of Ramadan is exempted. Likewise, a person who has a baby on the last day of Ramadan should pay Zakat-ul-Fitr for the baby. The majority of jurists argue that we should not pay Zakat-ul-Fitr for an embryo. But Imam Ahmad holds that Zakat-ul-Fitr is also obligatory for an embryo, because it is permissible to assign property to an
embryo by means of a will.
It is not permissible to delay giving Zakat-ul-Fitr after the day of Eid (i.e. one may give it up to the time of the Eid prayer). However, there are some jurists who think that it is permissible to delay giving it even after the Eid prayer. The founders of the four schools of Fiqh hold the first opinion, but Ibn Sirin and al-Nakha’i say that its payment can be delayed. Ahmad says: “I hope that there is no harm [in delaying the payment].” Ibn Raslan says that there is a consensus that payment cannot be delayed merely for the reason that it is a type of Zakat. Thus, any delay is a sin and is analogous to delaying one’s prayers without an acceptable excuse.
Most scholars believe that it is permissible to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr a day or two before Eid. Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger, upon whom be peace, ordered them to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr before the people went out to perform the Eid prayer. Nafi reported that Umar used to pay it a day or two before the end of Ramadan. However, scholars hold different opinions when a longer time period is involved. According to Abu Hanifah, it is
permissible to pay it even before Ramadan so long as you make the intention of Zakah. Al-Shaf’i holds that it is permissible to do so at the beginning of Ramadan. Malik and Ahmad (in his well-known view) maintain that it is permissible to pay it only one or
two days in advance.
Ibn Al-Qayyim highlighted these different viewpoints and concluded that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prescribed Zakat-ul-Fitr as one Sa’ of dates, barley, raisins or dry cottage cheese. These were the main staple kinds of food in Madinah. As for people of other territories, what they should pay is one Sa’ of their staple grain, such as corn, rice, etc. But if their main staple food is other than grain, such as milk, meat, fish, etc., then they should pay one Sa’ of that particular food. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars and is the preferred point of view, since it achieves the purpose
of fulfilling the needs of the poor on the day of Eid with the staple food of their region. The amount of Zakat-ul-Fitr, as we referred earlier, is one Sa’ of food. There is consensus on this amount among the scholars with regard to all types of food except wheat and raisins. As for these two types the Shafi’is, Malikis and Hanbalis agree that the prescribed amount is one Sa,’ however the Hanafis say it is sufficient to pay half Sa’ from wheat and they differed with regard to raisins. After discussing the arguments of these two opinions al-Qaradawi reached the following conclusion: wheat was not a common food amongst them during the time of the Prophet so he did not prescribe one Sa’ of it as he did with the other types of food. As for those of the Companions of the Prophet (Sm) who prescribed half Sa’ of wheat instead of one Sa’ of barely or dates like Mu’awiyah and other Companions, he views that they did so by analogy, since the value of wheat was more than those of other types of food which were equal. But according to their opinion, he says, the value should be considered and taken as the criterion and this will cause instability and confusion for it changes from place to another and from time to time. He mentioned that in Pakistan the value of wheat is less than that of dates, then how should we pay of it half the amount (i.e. Sa’) that we should pay of dates?
He also mentioned that nowadays raisins are more expensive than wheat and dates. The only solution for these problems, he says, is to regard Sa’ as the criterion
and basis.
Sa’ is a certain measure which equals 4 mudds (a mudd equals a handful of an average man). The contemporary equivalent weights of Sa’ differs according to the stuff which is weighted. For example a Sa’ of wheat equals 2176 grams, a Sa’ of rice is 2520 grams, a Sa’ of beans equals 2250 grams etc. Therefore some scholars are of the view that the criterion should be the measure not the weight for there are kinds of food, which are heavier than others. But I think this is the case if the equivalent weight of a certain kind of food is not known. If there is no available measure or weight with the person, then he should pay 4 mudds.
Nowadays, it is not that problem because ministries of religious affairs in Muslim countries and mosques and Islamic centres in Western countries announce the value of Zakat-ul-Fitr every year. Anyhow, this is the obligatory amount, which every Muslim should pay. It is better and recommended that one pays an extra amount, particularly for those who are wealthy, for they
will be rewarded for it.
As it is mentioned earlier, the Hanafis
permitted the payment of Zakat-ul-Fitr in money. This is the view of Al-Thawri, Al-Hasan al-Basri, and ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-Aziz. However, the other three schools did not
permit this. Their argument is that the Prophet did not do so and hence its payment in money contradicts the Sunnah of the Prophet. But some contemporary scholars support the Hanafi view since this is easier nowadays for the payer particularly in cities where people use only money for dealings. Among them are Sheikh Shaltut, al-Ghazali, and al-Qaradawi who mentioned earlier the two reasons for which the Prophet did
not prescribe it in money.
He also stated that the purpose of Zakat-ul-Fitr is to fulfil the needs of the poor and this is achieved also by payment in money and that in most cases and most countries the payment in money is more useful to the poor. He also mentioned that when the Prophet prescribed it from food, it was easy for the payer and useful for the recipient
during that time. But nowadays to pay it
in food is not useful for the poor because he cannot make use, for instance, of wheat or dates unless he sells them with any price, generally low, to buy his needs with
the money.
Nowadays, if we consider the condition in the Muslim world in general and that of Muslims in the West in particular we will
discover that the second view is more
convenient with the spirit of Islamic
legislation and the present condition of Muslims. As we will see later when Muslims living in the West decide to transfer their Zakat funds or some of them to needy
Muslims in Muslim countries, then the payment in money is more convenient. n