The timing of paying Zakat al-Fitr and the ruling on delaying it after the prayer.

The Shaykh : The time is on the day of the festival, before the prayer; this is the best. It is permissible to pay it one or two days before, but it is not permissible to pay it earlier than that, according to the stronger opinion. That means, if we pay it today, it is not permissible. We pay it on the twenty-ninth and on the thirtieth. Now, delaying it until after the prayer is forbidden and not permissible. Even if one delays it intentionally, it does not suffice for him, based on the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Except in the case of not knowing, such as if we do not know about the festival until late, and we cannot pay it before the prayer, then this is an excuse. Or if a traveler reaches the festival while he is traveling and there is no one with him to pay it to, so he delays it until he reaches the town, then there is no harm, and it is an accepted zakat in his case.