How much does a person need to give fitra?
When we need to give and at what percentage and on what item it is applicable?
Can we partly – partly every month instead of giving only during Ramzan month?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatullāhi wa-barakātuh
- Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr/Fiṭrah is that charity which is associated to the day of ʿĪdul-Fiṭr.
Ibn ʿUmar Raḍi Allāhu ʿanhu narrates:
«أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَرَ بِزَكَاةِ الفِطْرِ قَبْلَ خُرُوجِ النَّاسِ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ»[1]
Nabi Ṣallallāhu ʿalaihi wa Sallam encouraged (the Ṣaḥābah) to give out Ṣadaqtul-Fiṭr before the people come out to perform ʿĪd Ṣalāh (on the day of ʿĪdul-Fiṭr). [Bukhārī, Ḥadīth no.: 1509]
Ibn ʿUmar Raḍi Allāhu ʿanhu would give out his Ṣadaqtul-Fiṭr one or two days before the day of ʿĪdul-Fiṭr. [Bukhārī, Ḥadīth no.: 1511]
- Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr/Fiṭrah is Wājib on that person who owns Niṣāb on the dawn of Fajr of the day of ʿĪdul-Fiṭr.[2] In addition to taking out Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr for oneself, it is also Wājib for one to take out Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr on behalf of one’s children who are minors (i.e. who are not yet Bāligh) and do not possess the amount of Niṣāb.[3]
If one’s minor children possess Niṣāb, one may take out Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr on their behalf from their own (i.e. children’s) wealth.[4]
- The amount to be given in Fiṭrah is ½ Ṣāʿ of wheat or 1 Ṣāʿ of barley, dates or raisons (Ṣāʿ is a measure of volume used in the time of Nabi Ṣallallāhu ʿalaihi wa Sallam) or the equivalent cash value of the above-mentioned. Giving the equivalent of the above-mentioned in cash is generally preferable.[5] Due to the value of these items fluctuating from time to time, a person should refer to the cash value of Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr for any specific year as calculated by his local ʿUlamāʾ.
- Unlike Zakāt, Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr is not applicable to any items. It is a set amount to be paid as detailed above.
- A person may discharge his Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr anytime before the ʿĪd Ṣalāh of ʿĪdul-Fiṭr.[6] If Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr is Wājib on a person on the dawn of ʿĪdul-Fiṭr and he has not paid it before the ʿĪd Ṣalāh, it will still be Wājib for him to pay it. In such a case, he should pay the Ṣadaqatul-Fiṭr after the ʿĪd Ṣalāh on the day of ʿĪd or any time thereafter.[7]
And Allah Taʿālā Knows Best
Mahmood Patel
Student, Darul Iftaa
Azaadville, South Africa
Checked and Approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
[1] رواه البخاري في صحيحه (1509)
[2] ذِي نِصَابٍ فَاضِلٍ عَنْ حَاجَتِهِ الْأَصْلِيَّةِ (تنوير الأبصار، المطبوع مع حاشية ابن عابدين (2/ 360))
بِطُلُوعِ فَجْرِ الْفِطْرِ (تنوير الأبصار، المطبوع مع حاشية ابن عابدين (2/ 367))
[3] (عَنْ نَفْسِهِ) مُتَعَلِّقٌ بِيَجِبُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَصُمْ لِعُذْرٍ (وَطِفْلِهِ الْفَقِيرِ). (الدر المختار، المطبوع مع حاشية ابن عابدين (2/ 361))
[4] ثُمَّ إذَا كَانَ لِلْوَلَدِ الصَّغِيرِ أَوْ الْمَجْنُونِ مَالٌ فَإِنَّ الْأَبَ أَوْ وَصِيُّهُ أَوْ جَدُّهُمَا أَوْ وَصِيُّهُ يُخْرِجُ صَدَقَةَ فِطْرِ أَنْفُسِهِمَا وَرَقِيقِهِمَا مِنْ مَالِهِمَا عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَبِي يُوسُفَ رَحِمَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى. (الفتاوى الهندية، دار الفكر (1/ 192))
[5] (وَدَفْعُ الْقِيمَةِ) أَيْ الدَّرَاهِمِ (أَفْضَلُ مِنْ دَفْعِ الْعَيْنِ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ) الْمُفْتَى بِهِ جَوْهَرَةٌ وَبَحْرٌ عَنْ الظَّهِيرِيَّةِ وَهَذَا فِي السَّعَةِ، أَمَّا فِي الشِّدَّةِ فَدَفْعُ الْعَيْنِ أَفْضَلُ كَمَا لَا يَخْفَى. (الدر المختار، المطبوع مع حاشية ابن عابدين (2/ 366))
[6] لَكِنَّ عَامَّةَ الْمُتُونِ وَالشُّرُوحِ عَلَى صِحَّةِ التَّقْدِيمِ مُطْلَقًا وَصَحَّحَهُ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ وَرَجَّحَهُ فِي النَّهْرِ وَنُقِلَ عَنْ الْوَلْوَالِجيَّةِ أَنَّهُ ظَاهِرُ الرِّوَايَةِ. قُلْت: فَكَانَ هُوَ الْمَذْهَبَ. (الدر المختار، المطبوع مع حاشية ابن عابدين (2/ 367))
[7] (مُوَسَّعًا فِي الْعُمْرِ) عِنْدَ أَصْحَابِنَا وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ بَحْرٌ عَنْ الْبَدَائِعِ. (الدر المختار، المطبوع مع حاشية ابن عابدين (2/ 358-359))
وَإِنْ قَدَّمُوهَا عَلَى يَوْمِ الْفِطْرِ جَازَ، وَلَا تَفْضِيلَ بَيْنَ مُدَّةٍ، وَمُدَّةٍ، وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ، وَإِنْ أَخَّرُوهَا عَنْ يَوْمِ الْفِطْرِ لَمْ تَسْقُطْ، وَكَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ إخْرَاجُهَا كَذَا فِي الْهِدَايَةِ. (الفتاوى الهندية، دار الفكر (1/ 192))