Sadaqatul Fitr
Adopted from The Friday Report (now AlJumuah Magazine), Jan-Feb 1995
Sadaqatul is an obligatory charity on every Muslim at the end of the month of Ramadan. Ibn ?Umar said: “The Prophet, sallaallahu ?alayhe wa sallam, enjoined the payment of one Sa’a of dates or one Sa’a of barley as Sadaqatul-Fitr on every Muslim, young and old, male and female, free and slave.” (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
The purpose of Sadaqatul-Fitr is to purify the one who has fasted from any type of indecent act or speech he might have committed while fasting. It also helps the poor and the needy. Ibn Abbas said: “The Messenger of Allah, sallaallahu ?alayhe wa sallam, enjoined Sadaqatul-Fitr on the one who fasts to shield him from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy.” (Related by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah.)
The Amount of Sadaqatul-Fitr
As the first hadeeth indicated, the amount of Zakat al-Fitr is one Sa’a. Sa’a is a volume measure corresponding approximately to the volume of 5 lb of good wheat. The material of the Sadaqatul Fitr can be either dates, barley, wheat, rice, corn or similar items considered as basic foods. Abu Saeed said: “We used to give for Sadaqatul-Fitr on behalf of every child, aged person, free man or slave during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, sallaallahu ?alayhe wa sallam, one Sa’a of food, or one Sa’a of dried yogurt, or one Sa’a of barley, or one Sa’a of dates, or one Sa’a of raisins.” (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
The Time for Sadaqatul al-Fitr
Sadaqatul-Fitr has to be paid by the end of Ramadhan. There are two times to pay Sadaqatul-Fitr. Either one or two days before Eid as ‘Umar used to do, or the day of Eid before the Eid prayer. Ibn ?Umar reported that the Prophet, sallaallahu ?alayhe wa sallam, ordered them to pay Sadaqatul-Fitr before they go out to perform the Eid prayer. If Sadaqatul-Fitr is paid after the Eid prayer, it will only be considered as regular charity. The Prophet, sallaallahu ?alayhe wa sallam, said: “If one pays Sadaqatul-Fitr before the Salat, it is considered an accepted charity, if he pays it after the Salat, it is considered an ordinary charity.” (Related by Abu Dawud.)
Sadaqatul-Fitr is to be given to the same eight categories or people as in the other types of Zakat. Some scholars say that the poor and the needy are the most deserving ones since the Prophet, sallaallahu ?alayhe wa sallam, said that it had “…the purpose of providing food for the needy.”
Courtesy: www.everymuslim.co.za ?
