What is the amount of zakat al-fitr, who is it obligatory upon, is it permissible to transfer it outside the zakat payer's country, and what is its earliest and latest time?
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The questioner : The second question asks: What is the amount of zakat al-fitr? Who is it obligatory upon? Is it permissible to transfer it from the country where the zakat payer resides to another country? And what is the latest and earliest time for paying it?
The Shaykh : The amount of zakat al-fitr is a sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg) of food. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said, as narrated by al-Bukhari from him: "We used to pay it in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as a sa' of food, and our food at that time was dates, raisins, barley, and dried curds." The fact that it is a sa' of food includes any type of food. Therefore, it is permissible to pay zakat al-fitr with rice, wheat, dates, raisins, or dried curds, because they are all food.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for who it is obligatory upon, it is obligatory on every Muslim, whether male or female, young or old, free or slave. As for the time of paying it, it has two times: a time of excellence and a time of permissibility. The time of excellence is to pay it on the morning of the festival, before the prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for the time of permissibility, it is to pay it two days before the festival. Paying it after the prayer is forbidden and does not suffice, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that it be paid before the people go out to the prayer. If it is paid after the prayer, it has been done in a manner that Allah and His Messenger did not order. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1718b, and in the Sunan it is reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that whoever pays it before the prayer, it is an accepted zakat, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is a charity among charities, except if the person has an excuse.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For example, if he forgets to pay it and does not remember until after the prayer, or if he relies on someone who usually pays it on his behalf, and then it becomes clear to him afterwards that it was not paid, he should pay it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Similarly, if the news of the festival day comes as a surprise before he is able to pay it, and then he pays it after the prayer, in the case of an excuse, there is nothing wrong with paying it after the prayer, and in this case it is accepted. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding the prayer: And if this is the case with the prayer, which is one of the greatest time-bound obligations, then it is even more so for other matters. Yes.
The Shaykh : The amount of zakat al-fitr is a sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg) of food. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said, as narrated by al-Bukhari from him: "We used to pay it in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as a sa' of food, and our food at that time was dates, raisins, barley, and dried curds." The fact that it is a sa' of food includes any type of food. Therefore, it is permissible to pay zakat al-fitr with rice, wheat, dates, raisins, or dried curds, because they are all food.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for who it is obligatory upon, it is obligatory on every Muslim, whether male or female, young or old, free or slave. As for the time of paying it, it has two times: a time of excellence and a time of permissibility. The time of excellence is to pay it on the morning of the festival, before the prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for the time of permissibility, it is to pay it two days before the festival. Paying it after the prayer is forbidden and does not suffice, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that it be paid before the people go out to the prayer. If it is paid after the prayer, it has been done in a manner that Allah and His Messenger did not order. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For example, if he forgets to pay it and does not remember until after the prayer, or if he relies on someone who usually pays it on his behalf, and then it becomes clear to him afterwards that it was not paid, he should pay it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Similarly, if the news of the festival day comes as a surprise before he is able to pay it, and then he pays it after the prayer, in the case of an excuse, there is nothing wrong with paying it after the prayer, and in this case it is accepted. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding the prayer: