8 Basic Errors Muslims make when Paying Zakat Al-Fitr
By Muhammad Alshareef, compliments of www.HeartWheelJournal.com
I feel compelled to put this together because I’ve seen the following errors being committed even since I was a young boy. In sha Allah, you can help me spread the word by sharing this article with your community, friends and family.
What is Zakat ul-Fitr? Think “Iftar”, Zakat Ul-Fitr is the charity that we pay at the end of Ramadan. Here is the foundational hadith that establishes the obligation of Zakat ul-Fitr:
Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), made Zakat al-Fitr compulsory on every slave, freeman, male, female, young and old among the Muslims; one Saa` (a measurement: four double handfuls) of dried dates or one Saa` of barely.
[Sahih Bukhari - Arabic/English, vol. 2, p. 339, no. 579]
To understand Zakat ul-Fitr, here is a good summary of it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zakat_al-fitr
But unfortunately, our community makes some basic errors in the payment of Zakat Al-Fitr that must be clarified.
Error One: Paying at Eid Salah
Some people go to Eid prayers and drop money into the donation box thinking that they have paid their Zakat ul-Fitr. No, Zakat al-Fitr, which is food, must be in the hands of the needy family BEFORE Eid prayer. If someone goes to Eid prayer and pays then it is GUARANTEED that the money will NOT arrive on time. And thus the person paying is sinful for having missed the payment of Zakat al-Fitr. May Allah forgive us.
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