SADQATUL FITR OR ZAKATUL FITR

Zakatul-fitr or sadaqatul-fitr means "the purifying charity of breaking the fast". It is a prescribed amount of food given by the Muslims during the last few days of Ramadan or on the morning of Eid prior to the prayer.

WISDOM

Zakatul-fitr was ordained by the Wise Legislator for two reasons:

to purify those who fasted, cleansing their fast from marring things such as indecent talk and minor sinning,
to feed the poor Muslims so that they have enough provision during the Eid.

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ordained Zakatul-fitr to purify the fasting person from indecent words or actions, and to provide food for the needy. It is accepted as zakah for the person who gives it before the Eid prayer; but it is a mere sadaqah for the one who gives it after the prayer."



RULING

Zakatul-fitr is a fard (obligation) for those capable of giving it. This is stated clearly in the Hadith of Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):

"Allah's Messenger has ordained Zakatul-fitr, in the amount of one saa` of dates or one saa` of barley, for the Muslims - slave or free, male or female, young or old; and he ordered that it be given before the people went out to the (Eid) prayer."

This Hadith further indicates that it is an obligation for every (capable) Muslim individual, regardless of age or social status.

The responsibility of giving out Zakatul-fitr falls upon the head of the household; he should give it on behalf of himself and those under his care: young and old, male and female, free and slave. Ibn `Umar said:

"Allah's Messenger ordained sadaqatul-fitr for those under your custody: young and old, free and slave."

As for the person who does not have the financial ability to give it, he is exempt because of general texts in the Quran and Sunnah, such as Allah's saying:

Allah does not require from any soul more than its capacity. [Noble Quran 2:286]

And the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah:

When I give you a command, do as much of it as you are capable.

Some scholars further require that it be given on behalf of a fetus. However, there is no evidence for this; and the fetus is not considered to be a young person - neither in the language nor the common understanding of people.



TYPES

The practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions was to give Zakatul-fitr in the form of food. Abu Sa'eed al-Khidri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

"(At the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him)) we used to give out Zakatul-fitr as one saa` of ta`am (food), one saa` of barley, one saa` of dates, one saa` of aqit (dried yogurt), or one saa` of raisins. At that time, our food used to be barley, raisins, aqit, and dates."

The scholars differ in understanding the "food" referred to in this report. From this report, it is easy to conclude that it refers to grains and other types of food which can be measured with a container. This is confirmed by various reports from the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him). For example, Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

"The sadaqah of Ramadan is one saa` of food. Thus, he who brings wheat, it will be accepted from him; he who brings barley, it will be accepted from him; he who brings dates, it will be accepted from him; he who brings rye, it will be accepted from him; he who brings raisins, it will be accepted from him..."

The above Hadiths further indicate that one may not give it in the form of money; nor may one give it using other types of food, such as meat or butter. Since it is an act of worship, it must be performed in accordance with the Sunnah. However, one may determine the approximate monetary value of the goods that he wants to give, and give that to an individual or organization that he trusts to buy the correct types. It is important that when it reaches the recipients, it is in a form permissible by the Sunnah.



AMOUNT

The above Hadiths indicate that the amount of Zakatul-fitr is one saa` of the various types of food that can be measured. There is one exception to this: In the case of wheat, the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded the people to give two mudds, which are equal to half a saa`. This was practiced by Mu`awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Damascus.

The saa` was a fixed measure of capacity or volume. It varied from one place to another; but the Prophet (peace be upon him) standardized it by stating:

Weights are according to Makkah's weights; and measures are according to al-Madinah's measures.

Thus, the amount should be measured according to al-Madinah's saa`, which is still available to this time. However, this measure is not accessible to most people. Because of this, many scholars have estimated it approximately to four full handfuls (with the hands put together) of an average man.

This demonstrates that it is wrong to measure Zakatul-fitr by weight, because the weight of one saa` varies for different materials. However, if the relationship between weight and capacity is determined for a specific material, the weight of one saa` of that material may then be used.



DISTRIBUTION

Time To Give It Out


As is clear from Ibn `Abbas's report above, Zakatul-fitr should be given on the Eid day, no later than the prayer.

It has further been reported that Ibn `Umar used to give it out one or two days before the Eid. This provides a basis for giving it a few days before the Eid.

But it is wrong to give it too early in the month of Ramadan. Doing that would conflict with its wisdom of being atonement of the sins during the month, and provision for the needy on Eid; it further conflicts with the practice of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Salaf.

However, it is permissible to give it early to those who collect it, trusting that they would not deliver it to those who deserve it before the end of the month. This was done at the time of the Sahabah, when the collectors used to finish collecting it one or two days before the Eid.

Collecting It


It is permissible to appoint individuals to collect Zakatul-fitr from the people; it is also permissible to give from it to those collectors if they need and deserve it. Ibn `Umar used to do so.

It is further recommended to appoint a person to take care of the collected Zakatul-fitr. The Prophet (peace be upon him) appointed Abu Hurayrah to this job, as he (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

"Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) entrusted me to look after the zakah of Ramadan."

People Who Deserve It


Zakatul-fitr should be distributed to the miskin (the needy), as was stated in the Hadith of Ibn `Abbas. It may not be distributed among all of the eight types to which the normal zakah is given.

A miskin is not a person in complete poverty, but is one whose financial means are very limited

EID GREETINGS: ISLAMIC WAY

It is permissible for Muslims to greet each other on the day of id with specific greetings that have been reported from the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them). Responding to a question in this regard, Ibn Taymiyyah said:

"As for people greeting each other after the id prayer by, 'Taqabbalal-Lahu minna wa minkum (may Allah accept from us and you),' or, 'May Allah bring the id back to you next year,' etc. - it has been reported that some of the Sahabah practiced it, and the scholars permitted it. However, Ahmad said, 'I do not initiate saying it to anyone; but if one says it to me, I answer him. This is because responding to a greeting is obligatory, but to initiate the greeting is not a required Sunnah, neither is it prohibited; whoever does it would have an example (from the Salaf), and whoever does not would have a predecessor as well.'"

Jubayr Bin Nufayr said:

"When the companions of Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) met on the day of Eid, they would say to each other, 'Taqabbalal-Lahu minna wa mink (May Allah accept from us and you.)"

And Muhammad Bin Ziyad said:

"I was with Abu Umamah al-Bahili (Peace be upon him) and some other companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him). When they returned from the Eid, they said to each other, 'Taqabbalal-Lahu minna wa mink.' "

TAKBIR TO OFFER ON THE WAY TO EID PRAYERS

Takbir (saying 'Allahu Akbar' - Allah is the Greatest) is a clearly distinctive feature of Muslims' Eid celebrations.

Evidence For Takbir On Eid Days


Allah says:

And that you must exclaim Allah's greatness, for having guided you, so that you may be grateful.

[Noble Quran 2:185]

Time Of Takbir

The Takbir for Eid starts from the time that one leaves his house heading toward the musalla. It is confirmed that the Prophet (peace be upon him):

"... Would leave (his house), on the day of Fitr, saying Takbir until he reached the musalla, and until he performed the prayer. Once he had performed the prayer, he would stop saying the Takbir."

The great Hadith scholar al-Albani said:

"This Hadith provides evidence for the Muslims' common practice of saying the Takbir aloud on route to the musalla, even though many people are now neglecting this sunnah - so that it is almost totally forgotten!

It would be useful at this point to remind that saying the Takbir in unison, as many people do, is not permissible. This applies as well to any other form of dhikr (mentioning Allah), whether it is supposed to be said loudly or secretly. Let this be a warning for us, and let us keep in our minds that the best guidance is that of Muhammad (peace be upon him)."

Ibn Taymiyyah was asked about the time for Takbir on the two Eids. He replied:

"Praise be to Allah. The most correct opinion, which agrees with the majority of the Salaf and scholars among the sahabah and Imams, is that Takbir extends from fajr (dawn) on the day of `Arafah to the last day of Tashriq; it is done following each prayer; and it is recommended for everyone to raise his voice with the Takbir when heading to the Eid. This is agreed upon among the Four Imams."

It should be noted that his specification "following each prayer" has no evidence. The correct opinion is to say it at all times, without specification. This is supported by what Imam al-Bukhari said:

"... And `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say the Takbir in his tent at Mina, so the people in the masjid heard him, and they also said the Takbir; and then the people of the market places also said the Takbir, until Mina echoed with everyone's Takbir.

And Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) used to say the Takbir at Mina on these day: after the prayers, on his bed, in his tent, in his sittings, and while walking - throughout these days.

And Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her) used to say the Takbir on the day of Nahr; also, the women would say the Takbir behind Abban Bin `Uthman and `Umar Bin `Abdul-`Aziz on the night of Tashriq with the men in the masjid."

Also, it is reported that:

"When Ibn `Umar, went out (of his house) on the morning of the day of Fitr and the day of Adha, he would say the Takbir aloud until he reached the musalla, then he would say it until the Imam arrived (for the prayer)."

The Wording Of The Takbir


There are no authentic Hadiths describing how the Prophet (peace be upon him) said this Takbir; however, the following have been reported from his companions (may Allah be pleased with them):

Ibn Mas`ood (may Allah be pleased with him):

"Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha illal-Lah; Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillahil-hamd."

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):

"Allahu akbar Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillaahil-hamd, Allahu akbaru wa ajall, Allahu akbaru `ala ma hadana."

Salman:

"Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbaru kabira."

Many people differed from the salaf in this dhikr, adding and innovating things that have no basis. This led Ibn Hajar to say:

"Some additions to the Takbir have been innovated in these times - for which there is no basis."

Wisdom In Takbir


Takbir is a statement that the Muslims are instructed to proclaim frequently, especially in certain situations that may insinuate feelings of arrogance in the heart.

When a person slaughters an animal, he may feel arrogant because he has the power to kill. But when he says, "Bismillah, Allahu Akbar - in the Name of Allah; Allah is the Greatest", he remembers his true position, and that, no matter how great and mighty he thinks himself, Allah is greater and mightier, and He is the one who provided him with the animal and gave him the ability to slaughter it.

Throwing the stones in Mina is an action of power and aggression. But when the pilgrim says, "Allahu Akbar", he remembers Allah's power and might.

In their travels, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to say "Allahu Akbar" when they ascended a hill. Rising to a high place is another act that may cause arrogance in the heart. By applying this sunnah, one controls himself and remembers that Allah is greater and higher.

Likewise, celebrations are occasions of rejoice and happiness. People tend then to be arrogant. But when they remember Allah's greatness so very frequently, they retain their position of submission and servitude before Him.

Furthermore, saying the Takbir loudly and frequently makes people remember that the Eid is a gift granted by Allah , that He is greater than worries and fears which could mar the Eid spirit, that He is the One who guided them, and who is capable of protecting them, removing their worries, and accepting their acts of worship that preceded the Eids.

GOING TO MUSALLA ON EID

Praying At The Musalla


The Sunnah is to hold the Eid prayer in the open. This outdoor place of prayer is known as the musalla. Abu Sa Eid al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

"The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to go on the day of Fitr and the day of Adha to the musalla; and the first thing he did when he reached there was perform the prayer."

The `Allamah (great scholar) Ibn al-Hajj al-Maliki said:

"The established Sunnah for the prayer of the two Eids is to be held in the musalla; for, even though the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

One prayer in this Masjid (mosque) of mine is better than a thousand prayers in any other masjid - except for al-Masjidul-Haram (the Sacred Mosque of Makkah).

Yet, and despite this great merit, he (peace be upon him) left it and went out (to the musalla) (on the days of Eid)."

Ibn Qudamah said:

"The Sunnah is to hold the Eid prayer in the musalla. `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded with that; and al-Awza`i recommended it - as did the people of reason; it is also the opinion of Ibnul-Munthir."

As for the one who is incapable to go out to pray in the musalla, because of a weakness or old age, then he may pray in the masjid, and there is no blame on him - insha'Allah.

It should be noted here that the goal of holding the Eid prayer in the musalla is to gather the largest possible number of Muslims in one place.

However, we see in many counties today the establishment of many musallas, even without a need for them. The scholars have warned people against such a thing.

And these numerous musallas have been turned into podiums set up to declare loyalty to different parties and divide the word of Muslims. Indeed, there is no might or power except from Allah.

Taking Different Routes


Jabir Bin `Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

"The Prophet (peace be upon him) would take different routes on the day of the Eid."

Ibnul-Qayyim said:

"He (peace be upon him) would take different routes on the day of the Eid, going one way and returning another one. It has been said that the wisdom behind this is:

to greet the people of both routes,

so that the people of both routes will receive blessings from him (through his supplication, salam, etc),

to fulfill the needs of the needy on both routes,

to display (by the Takbir, etc.) the Islamic rites,

(and the best opinion of all:) for all of these reasons, in addition to other aspects of wisdom that are always associated with his (peace be upon him) actions."

After mentioning the above opinions, Imam an-Nawawi said:

"Even if the reason were not known, it would still be absolutely recommended to follow his example; and Allah knows best."

Going Early


Imam al-Baghawi said:

"It is recommended for the people, as soon as they complete the Subh (morning) prayer, to head toward the musalla and sit in their places there, saying the Takbirs. As for the Imam, he should arrive just at the time of the prayer."

Walking


It should be noted as well that it is recommended, for those who are capable of doing it, to walk to the musalla. `Ali (t) said:

"It is of the Sunnah that you go to the Eid walking."

EATING ON EID’S MORNING

Anas Bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

"Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) would not leave (his house) on the day of Fir until he ate some dates."

Imam al-Muhallab said:

"The wisdom in eating before the prayer is to circumvent the assumption that one must continue to fast until the Eid prayer is over."

And Buraydah Bin al-Hasib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

"The Prophet (peace be upon him) would not leave (his house) on the day of Fir until he ate. On the day of Nahr (slaughtering) he would not eat until he returned - so that he would eat from his sacrifice."

The great scholar ash-Shawkani said:

"The wisdom in delaying eating on the day of Adha (sacrifice) is that it is a day on which it is legislated to offer sacrifices and to eat from them. Thus, it is recommended for one to eat from his sacrifice on breakfast. This was mentioned by Ibn Qudamah."

Az-Zayn Bin al-Munayyir said:

"The time that the Prophet (peace be upon him) ate his breakfast on each of the two Eids occurred at the proper time of giving out their related sadaqah (charity), thus dispensing of the Fitr charity before going to the musalla, and dispensing of the sacrifice's charity after slaughtering it."

It must be noted here that, nowadays, people no longer slaughter their sacrifices at the musalla. They do that at distant places, and sometimes do not get the meat until the evening or the following days. In this case, it is understandable that the sunnah of eating breakfast from the sacrifice's meat cannot be reasonably fulfilled.

GHUSAL AND SELF-BEAUTIFICATION ON EID

(A) It is recommended to take a bath on the morning of Eid. Nafi` reported that:

"`Abdullah Bin `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to take ghusl (bath) on the day of Fitr before proceeding to the musalla (prayer place)."

Sa'eed Bin al-Musayyib said:

"There are three sunnahs for Fitr: walking to the musalla, eating before you go, and performing ghusl."

Imam Ibn Qudamah said:

"It is recommended to perform ghusl for Eid. Ibn `Umar would perform ghusl on the day of Fitr; and `Ali is reported to have done so as well. This is also the opinion of `Alqamah, `Urwah, `Ata', an-Nakh`i, ash-Shi`bi, Qatadah, Abu az-Zinad, Malik, ash-Shafi`i, and Ibnul-Munthir."

The reports regarding Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) performing ghusl for the Eid or commanding people to perform it are all weak.

(B)
It is also recommended to dress and adorn oneself for the occasion of the Eid. Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

"`Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a silk cloak in the market; he took it to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him), and said, 'O Allah's Messenger, buy this and adorn yourself with it during the Eid and when the delegations visit you.' Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) replied, This dress is for those who have no good share (in the Hereafter).

After a period of time, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) sent a cloak of silk brocade to Umar. Umar came to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) with the cloak and said, 'Allah's Messenger! You said that this dress was for those who had no good share (in the Hereafter), yet you sent it me!' Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, (I sent it to you) so that you may sell it or use it to fulfill your need. "

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said:

"The evidence derived from this Hadith is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) has approved of Umar's suggestion to beautify oneself for Eids, and only objected to wearing that kind of garment, because it was made of silk."

The great scholar, as-Sindi, deduced:

"This Hadith proves that dressing up for the Eid days was an acceptable custom among the companions, and that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not object to it, from which it is concluded that it was approved."

And Ibn Qudamah noted:

"This indicates that beautifying oneself on these occasions was common among them. Malik said, 'I heard the people of knowledge express the desirability of perfume and beautification for every Eid.'"

Furthermore, Ibnul-Qayyim said:

"The Prophet (peace be upon him) would wear his best clothes to go to the Eid prayer. He had a cloak that he wore specifically on the two Eids and Friday. Sometimes he wore green cloaks, other times he wore a lined red cloak - not solid red as some people think, but it had red lines like the Yemenite lined cloaks."

And Ibn Hajar said:

"Ibn Abu ad-Dunya and al-Bayhaqi reported, with an authentic chain of narrators, that Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would wear his best clothes on the two Eids."

Of the beautification for the Eid (for men) is wearing kuhl, perfumes, and oils, and wearing an `amamah (turban) or a kufiyyah (simple cap). As is noted by ash-Sheikh al-Albani in Tamamul-Minnah, the Muslim men should not have their head uncovered, as is customary of the Europeans.

ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF CELEBRATION

Islam teaches Muslims how to celebrate the Eids. On these days, the Muslims take a bath and wear their best clothes.

Even though fasting is not permitted on the Eid days, yet, the major part of the celebration is not eating or drinking - rather, it is a prayer that brings Muslims together to remember Allah's bounties and celebrate His glory and greatness.

The Eids and their celebration in Islam carry a distinctive meaning and spirit. They are totally different from the celebrations in other nations and cultures.

For other nations, a holiday is a chance to immerse in worldly pleasures, or to involve oneself in prohibited acts to the utmost. Not so for Muslims!

For Muslims, the Eid is an occasion to increase in good deeds. Each Eid marks the conclusion of an important worship, and the determination to continue in obedience and submission to Allah.

In moments of extreme pleasure or sadness, a Muslim never forgets his Lord's greatness, might, glory, and watchfulness. A Muslim's actions are always controlled by this continued remembrance and awareness.

Thus the Eid is not an occasion to take a vacation from Islamic responsibilities and commitments or to waste time and money in extravagance. It is not "fun for the sake of fun". Rather, it is controlled and directed rejoicing that is of ultimate and definite benefit for the Muslim.

The Eid is a chance to multiply good deeds by bringing happiness and pleasure to the hearts of other Muslims, by helping and supporting the poor and needy, and by getting involved in pastimes that emphasize the strong and serious Islamic character.

HOLIDAYS: PART OF COMPLETE DEEN

Evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah clearly demonstrates that the Eids are distinctive features for every nation. Allah said:

"To every people we have appointed rites (of sacrifice) that they must observe."

[Noble Quran 22:67]

From authentic hadiths that are cited above and subsequently, it is concluded that the Muslims have only three Eid days, a weekly Eid every Friday, and two annual Eids: al-Fitr and al-Adha.

Thus, the Eids are purely religious occasions for the Muslims. They are the only holidays in Islam, and were granted to the Muslims by Allah. This indicates His great love and mercy toward those who adhere to His blessed religion: Islam.

And when Allah, the most Generous, grants something, he grants it complete and perfect. Thus, He granted us the Eids, as well as instructions for celebrating them.

It becomes clear then that:

Allah alone has the right to prescribe Eids and to set their dates.

Allah alone has the right to prescribe the manner of celebrating them.

     

COMPLETENESS AND PERFECTION OF DEEN

By Allah's blessing and mercy, Islam contains the complete and perfect guidance for humanity. Allah said:

"This day I have perfected your religion for you, have completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion."

[Noble Quran 5:3]

Islam did not neglect any information needed by people to achieve happiness and avoid harm, in all matters - small or large. It informs them of all that would save them from the Fire and let them into the Gardens in the Hereafter. This was the mission of all of the prophets, as declared by Muhammad Peace be upon him:

Never was a prophet before me, but he disclosed to his people what he knew to be best for them, and warned them of what he knew to be evil for them.

This was the mission of the Final Messenger (Peace be upon him) as well, as he said:

There is nothing that would bring you closer to Jannah and farther from the Fire but it has been clarified [by me] to you.

Some mushrikun (idol worshipers) tried to mock Islam by saying to Salman (may Allah be pleased with him), "It seems as if your prophet has taught you everything, even how to defecate!" Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) responded with dignity:

"Yes indeed! He prohibited us from turning our faces or backs to the Qiblah when defecating or urinating, from using the right hand to cleanse ourselves, from using less than three stones to cleanse ourselves [in the absence of water], and from using animal waste or bones to cleanse with."

With His encompassing Wisdom, Allah made His Final Revelation, Islam, a universal message for all peoples at all times, without any distinction:

We have not sent you [Muhammad] but to humanity at large, to be a herald of glad tidings and a warner.

[Noble Quran 34:28]

Furthermore, this most important Message is preserved intact through the centuries, as is clearly observed today by any impartial examiner. This is a fulfillment of Allah's promise:

It is We indeed who have sent down the dhikr (the Message), and it is We who shall surely guard it [from corruption].

[Noble Quran 15:9]

We conclude then that:

Islam contains the complete and perfect guidance for humanity.

Islam did not neglect any information that would be needed by people to reach happiness and to avoid harm, in all matters, whether minute or large.

Islam is the only guidance tailored for all peoples at all times.

Islam has been preserved, and will remain intact through the ages, as the only true guidance capable of helping and saving people. 

 

TWO EIDS: A MERCY FROM ALLAH

Anas (Peace be upon him) reported that upon arriving in al-Madinah, the Prophet saws found its people celebrating two days whose significance was held over from the Jaahiliyyah. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

When I came upon you, you had two days that you continued to celebrate from the Jaahiliyyah; indeed Allah has substituted them for you with what is better: the day of Sacrifice and the day of Fitr (breaking the fast).

Shaykh Ahmad `Abdur-Rahman al-Banna said:

"(They are better because,) the day of Sacrifice and that of Fitr are legislated by Allah, and are His choice for His creatures. They follow the completion of two of the greatest pillars of Islam, Hajj (pilgrimage) and fasting. On these days, Allah forgives those who performed Hajj and who fasted, and He sheds mercy on all of His obedient creatures.

On the other hand, the days of Nayruz and Mihrajan were devised by the people of those times, because of good weather or other passing qualities.

The difference between the two cases is apparent for whoever ponders upon this."