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.

[Ali Umar]

AsSalam Alekum to everyone again.  I had to come back to this topic for some more clarifications as I heard recently while attending my Mosque. 

Firstly, is it correct that giving to Mosque is not zakah because it’s the responsibility of all Muslims of that community to take care of it?   I never knew this.

'Pay your Sadaqa tul Fitr as soon as possible, latest before Eid prayer.  If you pay after Eid prayers you can’t call it Sadaqa tul Fitr.  That would be just charity as given at any other time.'   How far is this concept right? 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

...

Firstly, is it correct that giving to Mosque is not zakah because it’s the responsibility of all Muslims of that community to take care of it?   I never knew this. 

Yes it is the responsibility of all Muslims to take care of their community Mosque.  That doesn't make matters any different.  Taking care of their Mosque means contributing financially or periodical donations.  This can certainly be included within Zakah.  Why not? 

But our scholars do not want to call it Zakah because they are trapped by their own rules.  According to their own decisions, Zakah is capped at 2.5%.  However, if you watch them on the Night of Leilatur Qadr, the way they push for donations .. the scenario looks like an auction for the highest bidder starting with "who can give $10,000" then it comes down to "5,000" and then to 100s.  That could go far above 2.5% of a person's total savings .. and there are some who might give more than 2.5%.   They request everyone to donate the maximum they can.  But if they call it Zakah, they cannot demand in that manner.   Thus they don't want to call it "Zakah."

'Pay your Sadaqa tul Fitr as soon as possible, latest before Eid prayer.  If you pay after Eid prayers you can’t call it Sadaqa tul Fitr.  That would be just charity as given at any other time.'   How far is this concept right? 

Well, like we’ve always said, you can give any title to your charity, that’s not relevant.  Whether you call it Sadaqa tul Fitr or just charity, I understand it’s  better to pay it as soon as possible – that is, if you have not already given your maximum share of charity your financial situation allows you to - so it can be distributed to the poor Muslim sisters and brothers to meet their Eid expenses which is definitely a very good idea.  Alhumdulilah.

[Ali Umar]

I get it, that first point is interesting.  Thanks. 

Coming to the second point, supposing I am paying this charity we call Sadaqatul Fitr, how much to pay?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

According to our teachers, it is $15 per person in a household.  But the Noble Quran does not mention any numbers or figures for charity.  Thus give as much as you can afford, don’t underspend nor be carelessly extravagant so you run short of money for essentials for yourself and your family.  Maintain a proper balance and pay to the poor whatever you can afford.

[Azra Hakim]

I have heard from some sources that kids also have to pay Sadaqa tul Fitra. 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

No kids don’t have to pay it, what they mean is that parents or guardians have to pay for the kids who are under their care.  Kids have to be counted within the household for Sadaqa tul Fitr.  Furthermore, even if your children are young adults and working, but you wish to pay for them, that too is perfectly acceptable.

[Ali Umar]

JazekAllah khair.