I am in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) by the grace of Allah, but I have not appointed someone to pay my zakat al-fitr (the alms given at the end of Ramadan). Is it permissible for me to go out and speak with my family on the phone, or what is the procedure?
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The questioner : He says:The questioner : May Allah preserve and protect you, O esteemed Shaykh. I am in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) by the grace of Allah, but I have not appointed someone to pay my zakat al-fitr (the alms given at the end of Ramadan). Is it permissible for me to go out and speak with my family on the phone, or what is the procedure?
The Shaykh : And "speak with my family" is coordinated with "go out." What governs the accusative case of "go out"?
The questioner : By "in."
The Shaykh : By "in"?
The questioner : "That I go out" by "an."
The Shaykh : that
The questioner : That I go out and speak with my family on the phone, or what is the procedure?
The Shaykh : We say there is nothing wrong with this man who is in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) going out to speak with his family about paying his zakat al-fitr (the alms given at the end of Ramadan) on his behalf. However, paying it here is better, because zakat al-fitr follows the person. So wherever you are when the obligation of zakat al-fitr becomes due, you should pay the zakat there. It is well known that Makkah is better than every other place; Makkah is better than every other place. It is also well known that there are poor people in Makkah who may be in greater need than the poor people in his own country. So we tell this brother that it is preferable for you to pay the zakat yourself. This is easily possible: when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadan, the i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) ends. So go out on the night of the festival, buy the fidyah (a ransom payment) for the zakat, and give it in charity to a poor person. This is the best course. Yes.
The Shaykh : And "speak with my family" is coordinated with "go out." What governs the accusative case of "go out"?
The questioner : By "in."
The Shaykh : By "in"?
The questioner : "That I go out" by "an."
The Shaykh : that
The questioner : That I go out and speak with my family on the phone, or what is the procedure?
The Shaykh : We say there is nothing wrong with this man who is in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) going out to speak with his family about paying his zakat al-fitr (the alms given at the end of Ramadan) on his behalf. However, paying it here is better, because zakat al-fitr follows the person. So wherever you are when the obligation of zakat al-fitr becomes due, you should pay the zakat there. It is well known that Makkah is better than every other place; Makkah is better than every other place. It is also well known that there are poor people in Makkah who may be in greater need than the poor people in his own country. So we tell this brother that it is preferable for you to pay the zakat yourself. This is easily possible: when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadan, the i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) ends. So go out on the night of the festival, buy the fidyah (a ransom payment) for the zakat, and give it in charity to a poor person. This is the best course. Yes.