8 COMMON MISTAKES MADE WHEN PAYING ZAKAT-UL-FITR

#RAMADAN REMINDERS

Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said,
"The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, enjoined the payment of one Sa` of dates or one Sa` of barley as Zakat Al-Fitr on every Muslim, young and old, male and female, free and slave." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

• 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 ul-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 ul-Fitr. May Allah forgive us.

• Error Two: Snail mailing the money overseas Basic principle as before

The Zakat ul-Fitr, food, MUST be in the hands of the needy BEFORE Eid prayer. One cannot mail the money overseas and have it arrive in the hands of the needy after Eid prayer is over. However, if one is able to get the Zakah ul-Fitr to the needy overseas BEFORE Eid prayer is conducted in their locality, then in'Shaa'Allah it's alright.

• Error Three: Not paying

Yes, as simple as this error is, it is HARAM to skip the payment of Zakat Ul-Fitr. EVERYONE must pay Zakat Ul-Fitr, every member of the household. So if you have 8 people in your house, Zakat Il-Fitr must be paid x 8, even if the youngest member is just a few days old.

• Error Four: Confusing Zakat ul-Fitr with Zakat ul-Maal

We are talking about Zakat ul-Fitr here (think "Iftar", i.e. Ramadan). Zakat Al-Maal (Maal literally means wealth), is the Zakah due on ones money – and that could be due any time during the year depending on when it was due.

• Error Five: Giving money instead of food

Although some scholars have allowed giving money instead of food, the spirit of Zakat ul-Fitr is to give food to the needy of the community, NOT money. (One can give money to the local masjid in charge and they can give food with that money inshallah). The Companion of the Prophet, Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree, radi Allahu 'anhu said, "In the Prophet's time, we used to give it (Zakatal-Fitr) as a sa` of food, dried dates, barley, raisins or dried cheese". [Bukhari - Arabic/English vol. 2, p. 340, no. 582]

• Error Six: Giving one's Zakah al-Fitr to a charitable building project

Some people mistakenly give their Zakah ul-Fitr to a charitable building project: like the building of a Masjid, or Islamic school. There is a difference of opinion on this issue, but suffice it to say that the spirit of Zakah ul-Fitr is that the needy should have plentiful food on Eid. All eight types of recipients of Zakah mentioned in the Quran are HUMANS, not "building projects".

• Error Seven: Giving Zakat ul-Fitr to non-Muslims

Charity is given to both Non-Muslims and Muslims. However, Zakah ul-Fitr charity is something exclusive to the MUSLIM poor and needy. Hence, one could not give Zakah Al-Fitr to any needy person on the street. "Regular" charity can be given to them, but not Zakah Al-Fitr.

• Error Eight: Delaying distribution

Sometimes Masjids might collect Zakah Al-Fitr money and then put it in a bank. It doesn't reach the needy for months and months. The correct method is to give Zakah ul-Fitr immediately when it is due.

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