Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salaams,
Please let me know the story behind Eid ul Fitr payment, which is a must to be payed by every muslim. When it was made compulsory ? Who made it ?

Who are Authorized to fix a Amount of this and who gave them the authority ? Why is this amount differing from country to country ? Please also let me know what is Eid ul Fitr ? & why we celebrate after Ramadan Ends.? what is the history behind this ?

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Answer:

History of Zakaat and Eid-ul-Fitr

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your comment: Please also let me know what is Eid ul Fitr ? & why we celebrate after Ramadan Ends.? what is the history behind this ?

Allah and His Messenger (saws) have declared every Friday a day of Eid, and declared two other days of the year as Days of Eid; one after the fasts of Ramadan, and one after the Day of Hajj. Ramadan was chosen by Allah as a Holy Month, and He chose to reveal the Quran in this blessed month, and also chose this month as a month of fasting for the believers. At the end of this month, the Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believers to celebrate the day after the fasts (fitr), and praise, glorify, and be grateful to Allah for giving us the opportunity to worship Him.

Your comment: Please let me know the story behind Eid ul Fitr payment, which is a must to be payed by every muslim.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) made the payment of Zakat-ul-Fitr mandatory on every muslim, male, female, child, servant, etc., and he (saws) gave two reasons for it:

Al-Baihaqi and ad-Daraqutni relate from Ibn 'Umar who said: "The Messenger of Allah (saws) enjoined the zakat ul-fitr, and also said: 'Free them (the poor) from want on this day.'"

Its purpose is to purify one who fasts from any indecent act or speech he may have done during his fasts, This view is based upon the hadith reported by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and ad-Daraqutni from Ibn 'Abbas. The Messenger of Allah (saws) enjoined zakat ul-fitr on the one who fasts to shield one's self from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy. It is accepted as zakah for the person who pays it before the 'id salah, and it is sadaqah for the one who pays it after the salah.

Your comment: When it was made compulsory ?

Zakat ul-fitr was made obligatory in the month of Sha'ban in the second year of the Hijrah.

Your comment: Who made it ?

The Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws).

Your comment: Who are Authorized to fix a Amount of this and who gave them the authority ?

The Messenger of Allah (saws) fixed the amount (quantity of food) under guidance from Allah Subhanah.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.579

Allah's Apostle (saws) 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 went out to offer the 'Id prayer.

One Saa' is equal to four (4) Mudd, and one (1) Mudd is equal to the amount held by cupping the two hands together. It is a measure by volume not by weight. In the times of the Prophet (saws), there was no mechanism of the measures that we recognize today like kilograms and pounds; their measurement was done either by a non-standard container, or the cupping of the hands; and one Saa’ works out to be approximately 2.25kgs – 2.50 kgs.

Your comment: Why is this amount differing from country to country ?
The reason the amount differs from country to country is that food costs vary from country to country.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan