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:

assalaamu alaikum,

brother burhan,

may allah bless u n grant u jannat.

can u pls explain about zakat-ul-fitr. who is liable 2 pay it? is it paid by every individual? wat is sadhka-e-jaariyaa. how much is to b given?wat other zakat is laiable on us? spl for female. if one has not paid zakat -ul-fitr b4 eid namaaz. can it b paid later?

thanks.
allahafiz
sister in islam  

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Answer:

Zakat ul fitr for women

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.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.579

Allah's Messenger (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 (saws) ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the 'Id prayer.

Al-Bukhari and Muslim relate that: "The Prophet (saws) enjoined the payment of one sa' of dates or one sa' of barley as zakat ul-fitr on every Muslim, young and old, male and female, free and slave."

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

Your Question: who is liable 2 pay it? is it paid by every individual?

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.579

Allah's Messenger (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 (saws) ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the 'Id prayer.

The zakat-ul-fitr is due for every muslim in one’s household, male or female, young or old. Although it is permissible for each individual to pay his zakat-ul-fitr himself, it is the responsibility for the head of the household to pay the zakat-ul-fitr for each individual under his care.

Your Question: how much is to b given?

The required amount of zakat ul-fitr is one sa' of wheat, barley, raisins, dry cottage cheese (aqit), rice, corn, or similar items considered as basic foods (qut).

One Saa' is equal to four ‘Mudds’, and one Mudd is equal to the amount held by cupping the two hands together. It is a measure by volume and not by weight. The amount would differ if we compare the value of one saa' of dates to one saa' of barley for example. Since a saa' of barley is approximately $2.00, while a saa' of dates ranges -according to quality from $1.50 - $60.00!; the scholars are of the opinion that the minimum amount per person as zakat-ul-fitr in this day and age is about $2.50.

It is preferable (and some scholars say mandatory) to give the zakat-ul-fitr as food to the poor and needy of the society. But if one is not able to personally give out the food as zakat-ul-fitr, it is permissible to give the equivalent amount to an organization who collects the zakat-ul-fitr; and they in turn will purchase the food on your behalf and give it to the poor and needy.

Your Question: wat other zakat is laiable on us? spl for female.

Other than the ‘zakat ul-fitr’ which has to be paid at the end of Ramadan, it is the obligatory duty and responsibility of each muslim (regardless of whether male or female) whose wealth is above the prescribed ‘nisaab’ to pay 2.5% of their excess wealth and savings as annual zakah.

If the total nett worth of any believer, male or female, is more than the prescribed ‘nisaab’ of 7.5 tolas of gold (app. 85 grams or app. Value US$1,000.00), then the person is liable to pay the obligatory zakat of 2.5% on their excess wealth which has been in their possession for a period of one full calendar year.

Your Question: if one has not paid zakat -ul-fitr b4 eid namaaz. can it b paid later?
Fiqh-us-Sunnah 3.87a

Zakat ul-fitr was made obligatory in the month of Sha'ban in the second year of the Hijrah by the Messenger of Allah (saws). Its purpose is to purify one who fasts from any indecent act or speech and to help the poor and needy. 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.

In light of the above guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), the obligatory zakat-ul-fitr will only be recorded as ‘zakah’ if it is paid before the Eid prayer; if for any reason one pays it after the Eid Salah, it will be recorded as regular Sadaqah or charity.

It is absolutely preferred to fulfill one’s obligatory dues of ‘zakat-ul-fitr’ before the Eid prayers; but if for any reason one has not fulfilled their ‘zakat-ul-fitr’ dues before the Eid prayers, one should strive to pay it even after the Eid prayers, and this will be recorded as Sadaqah in the Sight and Record of Allah Subhanah.

Your Question: wat is sadhka-e-jaariyaa.

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (saws) said:

'When a person dies all his good deeds cease except for three:

1. Sadaqa Jaariya. (continuous acts of charity. ie. a person who did or spent something in the way of Allah and people are still benefiting from it. Things like mosques, orphanages, wells, planting of trees and the like, which outlive the person who died and benefiting the ummah.)

2. Ilm un Naafe'ah. (beneficial knowledge. ie. a person who spread knowledge of Islam and people are still benefiting from it after his death. Things like lectures, writing books, good advice he gave to people, or any other knowledge of Islam that the person helped in spreading the word of Allah.)

3. Ibn us Saleh. (righteous children who pray for him. ie. his children who regularly pray to Allah to forgive their father/mother who died.)

‘Sadaqa jaariya’ literally means ‘continuous charity’, or the charity which one does whose benefit is derived by the people even after one’s death.

For example, if one builds a mosque, or an orphanage, or a hospital, or digs a charitable well, or plants a tree, etc. in the name of charity; every person or being who benefits from these things will be recorded as charity in the Book of Records of the person who initiated the good deed, regardless of whether the person who gave the charity is alive or dead.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 3764 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “Never a Muslim plants a tree, but he has the reward of charity for him, for what is eaten out of that is charity, what is stolen out of that, what the beast eat out of that, what the birds eat out of that is charity for him. (In short) none incurs a loss to him, but it becomes a charity on his part.”

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan