How should one who wishes to send zakat al-fitr to another country do so?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : In our place, my dear brother, regarding zakat al-fitr in the month of Ramadan, in those lands it is rare to find a person who meets the conditions for zakat mentioned in Surat al-Tawbah. So when collecting this zakat—zakat al-fitr—of course, some people collect cash, and some collect food. Can this zakat be converted, for example, to Afghanistan? That is the first part. The second part: Is it obligatory that it be distributed in Afghanistan before the month ends, or is there no harm if it is distributed after?
The Shaykh : Which month do you mean?
The questioner : The month of Ramadan, of course.
The Shaykh : Before the month ends, before it finishes, that is the time.
The questioner : Zakat al-fitr.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : Because I can call by phone or send a check that reaches Afghanistan, but it might be distributed after this time. So, if I send it, does the sin come off me?
The Shaykh : I tell you a way that clears your conscience and the conscience of others. First: you have made some people pay the value and some people pay with food. Do you find anyone to feed with this food?
The questioner : In those lands?
The Shaykh : is it
The questioner : Recently, because about twelve or thirteen Somalis came, so we try to find the needy among the Somalis. But suppose we do not find the needy, what do we do?
The Shaykh : And so, when I mentioned that you do not find the needy people, I say: If you find poor people, it is not permissible to give out cash; rather, it is obligatory for you to give out food. And perhaps the details of the food are known to you. But if you do not find anyone to eat this food from among the poor, then at that time, send the value of the food you intend to give out to a person or some persons who are trusted in both their knowledge and their religion, in both their knowledge and their religion. And appoint them to give out the alms of the festival on the night of the festival. And with this money, they buy the food that is intended to be given as charity. If you do this, you are free from responsibility. But if you appoint them like this—as you noticed, I mean—it might be distributed before the time or part of the time, which becomes negligence. And at that time, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: meaning that you have not fulfilled the obligatory duty.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, but my brother, is it possible for me to callThe Shaykh : Muhammad al-Nasir al-Din and say to him, "My brother, give out the alms of the festival on my behalf," and he gives it out?The Shaykh : May Allah reward him with good on my behalf. Then I sent him the money from Canada, and it arrived after the festival.
The Shaykh : It does not matter.
The questioner : It does not matter.
The Shaykh : As long as you appointed Zayd from among the people to give out the alms before the festival and he did so, and you promised him good, then there is absolutely no obstacle.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And you as well.
The Shaykh : Which month do you mean?
The questioner : The month of Ramadan, of course.
The Shaykh : Before the month ends, before it finishes, that is the time.
The questioner : Zakat al-fitr.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : Because I can call by phone or send a check that reaches Afghanistan, but it might be distributed after this time. So, if I send it, does the sin come off me?
The Shaykh : I tell you a way that clears your conscience and the conscience of others. First: you have made some people pay the value and some people pay with food. Do you find anyone to feed with this food?
The questioner : In those lands?
The Shaykh : is it
The questioner : Recently, because about twelve or thirteen Somalis came, so we try to find the needy among the Somalis. But suppose we do not find the needy, what do we do?
The Shaykh : And so, when I mentioned that you do not find the needy people, I say: If you find poor people, it is not permissible to give out cash; rather, it is obligatory for you to give out food. And perhaps the details of the food are known to you. But if you do not find anyone to eat this food from among the poor, then at that time, send the value of the food you intend to give out to a person or some persons who are trusted in both their knowledge and their religion, in both their knowledge and their religion. And appoint them to give out the alms of the festival on the night of the festival. And with this money, they buy the food that is intended to be given as charity. If you do this, you are free from responsibility. But if you appoint them like this—as you noticed, I mean—it might be distributed before the time or part of the time, which becomes negligence. And at that time, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Whoever gives it out before the prayer of the festival, it is an accepted charity, and whoever gives it out after the prayer of the festival, it is a charity among charities.
فمن أخرجها قبل صلاة العيد فهي صدقة مقبولة ، ومن أخرجها بعد صلاة العيد فهي صدقة من الصدقاتThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good, but my brother, is it possible for me to callThe Shaykh : Muhammad al-Nasir al-Din and say to him, "My brother, give out the alms of the festival on my behalf," and he gives it out?The Shaykh : May Allah reward him with good on my behalf. Then I sent him the money from Canada, and it arrived after the festival.
The Shaykh : It does not matter.
The questioner : It does not matter.
The Shaykh : As long as you appointed Zayd from among the people to give out the alms before the festival and he did so, and you promised him good, then there is absolutely no obstacle.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And you as well.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.