Zakah, Zakah ul Fitr

[Ali Umar]

AsSalam Alekum.  Kindly give let me know the difference between zakah and zakah-ul-fitr.   I thought both were same. 

[N. Truth Seeker]

Walaykom As-Salam.  Zakah is the charity paid to the poor Muslims by the well-to-do from their annual earnings.   Zakah-al-Fitr is the charity paid to the poor during the month of Ramadan, latest prior to the Eid salah. 

Please note, this difference between the two is a traditional concept.  The Noble Quran simply states the act of giving or helping the needy as Zakah or Sadaqa, and does not divide Zakah into two types. 

[Ali Umar]

That also means Muslim have to pay charity at different times of the year, not just once a year, is that so?

[N. Truth Seeker]

Don't have to.  It's up to you.  You need to decide how much you can spare comfortably from your annual or monthly earnings without making it hard for yourself and your family.  And if you decide to pay annually, then the amount set aside for charity can either be given to a particular person or institution or divided among various recipients of your choice whom you consider deserving and given to them at different times of that year .. or they can all be given at the same time of that year.  It's entirely up to every individual. This is clearly the concept the Noble Quran conveys.

[Ali Umarau]

Thank u, very productive discussion.