What is the ruling on paying zakat al-fitr?
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Q: What is the ruling on the charity of fitr? Is the nisab (minimum threshold) required for it? Are the types of items to be given limited? If so, what are they? Is a man required to pay it on behalf of his household, including his wife and his servant?
A: Zakat al-fitr is obligatory (fard) for every Muslim, whether young or old, male or female, free or slave. This is based on what is established from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:Sahih al-Bukhari 1503. It is agreed upon that it is authentic.
It has no nisab (minimum threshold); rather, it is obligatory for the Muslim to pay it on behalf of himself and his household, including his children, his wives, and his slaves, provided that there is a surplus beyond his and their food for the day and night.
As for the hired servant, his zakat is his own responsibility, unless the employer volunteers to pay it or it is stipulated in the contract. As for the slave servant, his zakat is the responsibility of his master, as mentioned in the hadith above.
It is obligatory to pay it from the staple food of the country, whether it is dates, barley, wheat, corn, or something else, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions. This is because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify a particular type, and because it is a means of providing relief, and it is not required for a Muslim to provide relief to others with something other than his own staple food.
A: Zakat al-fitr is obligatory (fard) for every Muslim, whether young or old, male or female, free or slave. This is based on what is established from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) 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 ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the `Id prayer.
فرض رسول الله ﷺ زكاة الفطر صاعًا من تمر أو صاعًا من شعير، على الذكر والأنثى والصغير والكبير والحر والعبد من المسلمين. وأمر أن تؤدى قبل خروج الناس للصلاةIt has no nisab (minimum threshold); rather, it is obligatory for the Muslim to pay it on behalf of himself and his household, including his children, his wives, and his slaves, provided that there is a surplus beyond his and their food for the day and night.
As for the hired servant, his zakat is his own responsibility, unless the employer volunteers to pay it or it is stipulated in the contract. As for the slave servant, his zakat is the responsibility of his master, as mentioned in the hadith above.
It is obligatory to pay it from the staple food of the country, whether it is dates, barley, wheat, corn, or something else, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions. This is because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify a particular type, and because it is a means of providing relief, and it is not required for a Muslim to provide relief to others with something other than his own staple food.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.