SADQA-E-FITAR

GROUP# 7

ESHA AIMEN 014

ISLAMIC STUDIES
SEMESTER 5
FIQH UL IBADAH
DR. NAZIA ZAMAN
2nd January 2023
ZARA ARIF

ABSTRACT

Sadaqa-e-Fitr (also called Zakat-ul-Fitr) is an obligatory charity for every Muslim who possess
the Nisab that is a minimum amount of wealth; it must be paid before Eid-ul-Fitr (before the
end of Ramadan). The wise thought behind this act has two aspects. It is to purify the month
long fasting of the Muslims and to enable the poor and less fortunate to also enjoy the
celebration of Eid. Before the Eid al-Fitr prayer at the end of Ramadan, every adult Muslim
who possesses food in excess of their needs must pay zakat al-Fitr (fitrana). The head of
household can also pay zakat al-Fitr for their dependants such as children, servants and any
dependent relatives. Zakat al-Fitr can be paid during Ramadan, before Eid al-Fitr prayers at the
latest, so that the poor can enjoy the day of Eid. It is also called Sadaqat al-Fitr, “the Charity
of Breaking the Fast” of Ramadan, and Zakat al-Fitrah, the contributions of Human Nature,
because it is a mandatory charity due on every Muslim at the end of Ramadan, regardless of
age or gender. There is a certain amount of fitrana to be paid based on the food items and money.

INTRODUCTION

The topic of my project is Sadqa-e-Fitar. We will study this topic in detail. However, we know
what is Sadqa-e-Fitar and we have to pay this zakat as a Muslim but we don’t have the detailed
information about it. So, the purpose of this study is to know the answers to these questions;
What is Sadqa-e Fitar? What is Sadqa-e-Fitar’s background? For whom is it wajib to pay fitrah?
When is it necessary to pay fitrah? Who needs to pay fitrah? How is fitrah paid? What is the
amount of fitrah? We will also sudy the purpose of Sadqa-e-fitar. The objective is to increase
the knowledge of the students about Sadqa-e-Fitar.

MAHAM NOOR

SADQA-E-FITAR

Sadaqah al-fitr is a sadaqah that is wajib to be given by every Muslim who is alive at the end
of the month of Ramadan and who has at least nisab amount of money or goods apart from his
fundamental needs. It is also called fitrah.

Sadaqah al-fitr (fitrah) means sadaqah given by man as gratitude in order to gain rewards.
Fitrah is a means of the acceptance of fasting by Allah and redemption from the suffering of
death and torture in the grave. It helps the poor to meet their needs and be happy on the day of
eid. From this point of view, fitrah is a humane charity and civilized duty. Zakat al-Fitr, or the
Zakat of Breaking the Fast of Ramadan, is the special obligatory alms paid by all Muslims at
the end of the Ramadan fasting month.

It is also called Sadaqat al-Fitr, “the Charity of Breaking the Fast” of Ramadan, and Zakat
al-Fitrah, the Alms of Human Nature, because it is a mandatory charity due on every Muslim
at the end of Ramadan, regardless of age or gender.

Its obligatory payment is termed fitrah, derived from the Arabic term fitr, a word which
signifies the “nature” upon which God created the human being, related also to the Arabic
word for “fast-breaking” (iftar), eating after a period of abstention from this “natural” and
defining human activity.

BACKGROUND

Zakat al-Fitr came into existence as an obligatory charity in Sha‘ban, the eighth month of the
Islamic lunar calendar, in the second year of the Hijrah.

The obligation to pay the charity of Zakat al-Fitr at Ramadan’s end agrees with God’s revealed
command in 2 hijrah for Muslims to remember the beginning of the Quran’s revelation to the
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), 15 years before. It was revealed in the month of Ramadan, the
ninth month in the Islamic lunar year, by reestablishing a ancient worship form, fasting (from
dawn to sunset), for the entire month whenever its new crescent appears.

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it has been prescribed for those
who have believed before you, so you may be ever God-fearing.It is for a specified
number of days. … It was the month of Ramadan in which the Quran was first sent
down as guidance for all people, having in it clear proofs of divine guidance and the
criterion for right and wrong. So whoever among you bears witness to the month shall
then fast it”.

(Surat al-Baqarah, 2:183-85)

Zakat al-Fitr differs from other kinds of charity in that it is imposed on the individual Muslim
and not on his or her measures of wealth or earnings.

MAH NOOR FATIMA

OBLIGATION OF SADQA-E-FITAR

“The Prophet, on him be peace, specifically called the Ramadan Fast-Breaking Alms
“Zakat,” and the Quran says:And duly establish the Salah-Prayer and give the Zakat-
Charity”.

(Surat al-Baqarah, 2:110 and Surat al-Nisa’, 4:77)

The necessary conditions for paying fitrah are as follows:

• to be a Muslim
• to be a free person (not a slave),
• to have nisab amount of money or goods apart from his fundamental needs.

It is not necessary to be sane and to have reached the age of puberty for fitrah. The fitrahs of
the rich mentally ill people and children need to be given by their guardians. If a person's goods
of nisab amount are destroyed after fitrah becomes wajib for him, it is necessary for him to pay
fitrah.
The Companions of the Prophet, on him be peace, report:

The Messenger of Allah, God bless him and grant him peace, “imposed” the Zakat of
Fast-Breaking [at the close of Ramadan] at the measure of one sa’ (4 double-handfuls) of
dates or one sa’ of barley, on every Muslim, free or bondsman, male or female.

NECESSITY TO PAY SADQA-E-FITRAH

On the first day of Eid al-Fitr, starting at daybreak, fitrah becomes obligatory. Giving fitrah
mustahab way involves doing it after sunrise and just before leaving the eid prayer. Giving
fitrah a few days or even months before Eid is not harmful, nevertheless. Therefore, it benefits
the poor to take care of their Eid needs in advance. The fitrahs that have not been paid on time
must be paid as soon as possible.

This is Imam Abu Hanifa's viewpoint. The other three imams assert that after sunset on the last
day of Ramadan, fitrah becomes wajib. After the Eid prayer, it is not permitted to make the
payment.

A person's payment of fitrah is not required if they pass away or become penniless on the first
day of Eid al-Fitr before dawn. If a wealthy person passes away after sunrise, it is obligatory
to offer fitrah. His inheritance is used to pay it.

It is necessary to pay fitrah if the nisab amount's money or items are lost after fitrah becomes
wajib but before it is actually paid.

ESHA AIMEN

WHO MUST PAY SADQA-E-FITAR?

1. Every Muslim: A number of the Prophet’s Companions, God be pleased with them
particularly some associated with upholding and conveying the statements of the Prophet
(S.A.W), like Abu Hurayrah and Ibn ‘Umar. Zakat al-Fitr is a universal Muslim obligation.
That is, every Muslim is liable for its payment. In the words of Abu Hurayrah, it is due on
“every Muslim, free or bondsman, male or female, young or old, poor or rich”.
(Bukhari)

2. Married Muslim women: The vast majority of scholars hold that Zakat al-Fitr falls due
for every single Muslim, with no exception. The Hanafis (and Zahiris) believe that the
individual obligation for its payment includes Muslim women, married or unmarried, from
their own wealth. The other legal schools require husbands to pay Zakat al-Fitr on behalf
of their Muslim wives. The Hanafi position, here, seems stronger in light of the hadith just
cited, but bear in mind that, in the end, the Zakat al-Fitr payment must still be paid for each
individual.

3. Children: If children possess wealth, Zakat al-Fitr comes due out of their individual
holdings, otherwise the child’s guardian pays on behalf of his son or daughter.
Some scholars say only a father as guardian must pay it for his child, while it is not due on
the orphan (in Islam, the fatherless). A few scholars rule that Zakat al-Fitr amounts to only a
faster’s obligation, as it amends the faster’s mistakes or purifies one’s fast from moral
contaminants.

4. The poor: Most scholars say each Muslim bears the obligation to pay Zakat al-Fitr, even
if they are poor, because the obligation falls on the person and not on a person’s wealth,
unlike Zakat Al-Mal, the Obligatory Alms of Wealth. The only exemption is for one who
does not possess food sufficient for the day of Eid, shelter, clothing and similar essentials.

HOW TO PAY SADQA-E-FITAR

A person can give his fitrah to a poor person but a fitrah cannot be divided in order to be given
to more than one person. A few people can gather their fitrahs and give them to one poor
person.

A few people can gather their fitrahs and give them to a few poor in a mixed way. They do not
have to give each fitrah separately. However, it is regarded better to give them separately.

A person should give his fitrah to one of the poor people of the area where he lives. It is makruh
to send fitrah to other places.

AMOUNT OF SADQA-E-FITRAH

Fitrah is given based on 4 food items mainly:

1. Wheat or wheat flour. The amount of wheat that is wajib to give is half sa' (520 dirhams:
1667 gr.)

2. Barley or barley flour. The amount of barley that is wajib to give is one sa' (1040 dirhams:
3333 gr.)

3. All kinds of raisin. The amount of raisin that is wajib to give is one sa' (3333 gr.)

4. Dry dates. The amount of date that is wajib to give is 1 sa' (3333 gr.)

Fitrah can be given based on one of these four food items. Fitrah can be given in kind as dates,
wheat, grapes or their equivalent as money. It is better to pay their equivalent as money.

When a person pays fitrah, he can pay it based on one of these four items considering his
wealth. For instance, a person who is very rich needs to pay his fitrah based on dates because
the one with the highest price among the four items is dates. What is appropriate for his wealth
is to pay fitrah based on dates. The item on which fitrah to be paid is based varies in accordance
with the degree of wealth. The religious authorities declare the equivalent of these 4 items
every year in the month of Ramadan. It is possible to pay fitrah based on those amounts.
ZARA ARIF

CONCLUSION

Sadaqa-e-Fitr (also called Zakat-ul-Fitr) is an obligatory charity for every Muslim who possess
the Nisab that is a minimum amount of wealth; it must be paid before Eid-ul-Fitr. Zakat al-Fitr
came into existence as an obligatory charity in Sha‘ban, the eighth month of the Islamic lunar
calendar, in the second year of the Hijrah. It is necessary to pay fitrah if the nisab amount's
money or items are lost after fitrah becomes wajib but before it is actually paid. Sadqah is to
be paid by every muslim; married Muslim women, children and the poor. Fitrah can be given
based on one of the four food items discussed above. Fitrah can be given in kind as dates,
wheat, grapes or their equivalent as money. It is better to pay their equivalent as money

Reference:

1. https://islamic-relief.org/zakat-al-fitr/
2. https://questionsonislam.com/question/what-sadaqah-al-fitr-fitrah
3. https://www.zakat.org/what-is-zakat-al-fitr-the-special-ramadan-
zakat#:~:text=It%20is%20also%20called%20Sadaqat,regardless%20of%20age%20or%2
0gender.
4. Book: Zakat aur Sadqa-e-Fitar