In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…
The Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) ordered that Muslims give out zakaat al-Fitr at the end of Ramadhan – one saa’ of staple food on behalf of yourself and each person you are responsible for. [1]
In light of the beautiful and complete religion of Islam and the amazing benefits we reap when implementing it properly, we would like to remind ourselves with the benefits of distributing this form of charity personally, from our own hands, without the use of a third party.
I offer this advice to my brothers and sisters in Islam due to widespread use of charity organizations and community services, and some of the harms that result, or at least the loss of some great benefits that we should not be so prepared to forfeit.
1 – We will build bridges with poor people and get to know them personally.
Poor people are virtuous. The Messenger (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, what means, “I saw Paradise and most of its people were the poor (of this life).” [2]
And another authentic hadeeth means, “The impoverished shall enter Paradise before the rich by 500 years.” [3]
So by seeking them out and giving them your Zakaat al-Fitr, you may gain the companionship of the righteous, even for a short time. This benefit is lost when giving through a third party.
Instead of saying, “But I don’t know any poor families, so how could I give out my zakaat al-Fitr personally…?”
Say: “Shame on me for not knowing any poor families! Let me rectify this negligence right now by giving my zakaat al-Fitr personally and getting to know some poor people.”
We may be justifying our reliance on third parties by the very weakness that zakaat al-Fitr has been legislated to cure!
2 – We will thus appreciate our own blessings a lot more.
The Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, what means, “Look to those who have less than you, and do not look to those who have more. This is more appropriate so that you do not overlook (or undervalue) the blessings of Allaah that you have.” [4]
When you seek out poor people to give them your zakaat al-Fitr, you get a chance to see their real situation and the difficulties they face. This reminds you about the blessings of Allaah you have and makes you more grateful for them. This is lost when giving through a third party.
3 – It makes the theoritical sympathy built for them from a month of fasting something tangible, and brings it to a real, personal peak.
The scholars mention that from the many benefits of fasting is that we will feel sympathetic towards the poor, by realizing that the hunger we feel is experienced by them all year round. An entire month of daily hunger pains opens our hearts to them more than ever and pushes us to do something about it. This culminates with the charitable act of giving zakaat al-Fitr and putting food directly in their hands. Therefore, it is one way that the goals of fasting are actualized in the most complete and beneficial way.
4 – It breaks down social and economic barriers between Muslims.
The legislation of zakaat al-Fitr is one of the many ways that Islaam breaks down the social and economic barriers that divide the people. By distributing your food with others through community services, you as a person do not actually see the poor person, meet him, build a relationship, or do much about the existing barriers between the people. In fact, you may be further fostering the existence of social and economic classes that keep Muslims apart, by losing this great opportunity to make a needed change.
5 – It distances the Muslims from arrogance.
Since arrogance is so dangerous and counter-productive to the Muslims, our prefect Religion when practiced properly helps a Muslim overcome and/or remain distant from all manifestations of arrogance.
An arrogant man looks down on others, often those with less money. He does not want to see them, talk to them, or mix with them. Let us ask ourselves: Our constant reliance on third parties to deliver our zakaat al-Fitr… Could this be rooted in our own personal arrogance?
The heart is a delicate thing, and its defects and flaws are never easy to detect! How do you know for sure that your use of the third party is not related to a level of arrogance rooted in your heart, that you do not want to meet them yourself and spend some time talking with them and visiting them?
Humble and sincere Muslims will always reflect about points like this and inspect their hearts, while the truly arrogant are the ones who dismiss it as preposterous!
The Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, what means, “Whoever has the smallest amount of arrogance in his heart shall not enter Paradise.” He further explained the meaning of arrogance as“Rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” [5]
6 – You will learn about their problems and be able to help them with things that are easy for you.
Delivering your own zakaat al-Fitr to a poor family and taking a moment to learn about their lives may give you some insight into certain problems they are facing that might be very easy for you to solve!
They may be having difficulty registering their children in school, and you could solve that easily through your connections. Five minutes of your time could solve a problem a family has been struggling with for years!
You may discover that their electricity is scheduled to be shut off soon and you could easily pay the $25 bill for them. Real needs of real people can be met through establishing real relationships.
The Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, what means, “Whoever helps his brother, Allaah will help him. Whoever alleviates the burden of a Muslim, Allaah will alleviate a burden of his on the Day of Judgment.” [6]
How could this great benefit be attained by giving your zakaat al-Fitr through a third party?
7 – We could give priority to those whom Allaah has given priority to.
Allaah has mentioned two types of poor people in His Book, miskeen and faqeer. [7] The scholars have different opinions about the difference between them, and the best two definitions are summarized below:
Miskeen: a poor person who barely meets his basic needs, or a poor person who asks others to help fulfill his financial needs.
Faqeer: an impoverished person who can not meet his basic needs, or a poor person who does not ask for financial help.
So based on both distinctions, the faqeer has more right to be assisted than a miskeen, and thus, Allaah mentions the faqeer first in the Verse about Zakaat, giving him priority over the miskeen. [7]
The reality of most third party services – When social services are used, a community organization commonly amasses many people’s zakaat al-Fitr and distributes it to poor people. The reality is often a truck pulling up to the main road of a poor neighborhood. A crowd of people gather, while a man standing in the bed of the truck will often hand down (or even throw) bags of rice into a crowd of people fighting over each bag.
The point is – The faqeer whom Allaah has honored with patience is more deserving of that food, yet he will not disgrace himself by running after the truck and fighting with his neighbors to grab something for his family. By giving out the zakaat al-Fitr personally, we could target those who would not normally ask, and ensure that the faqeer is given priority over the miskeen, as Allaah legislated.
8 – We could avoid giving charity in a way that disgraces poor people.
If you have understood the reality of the manner in which many social services actually distribute the zakaat al-Fitr on your behalf (as mentioned in Point #7), then you might feel more comfortable giving your zakaat al-Fitr personally, in a way that allows the recipient to retain his honor and dignity.
Check back with us for part two of this article soon (in shaa’ Allaah)…
Written by: Moosaa Richardson
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim, for information about the size of the saa’, review this article.
[2] Collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim
[3] Collected by at-Tirmithee who called it saheeh (authentic)
[4] Collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim
[5] Collected by Muslim in his Saheeh
[6] Collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim
[7] See: Soorah at-Towbah (9:60)
BaarakAllaahu feekum, very informative and heart-warming. Sadly many people blindly follow ai’immah of the masajid here in the west who tell them to give their Zakaatul Fitr to the masajid.SubhanaAllaah!
As salamu alaykum
You are so right! I refuse to give the money to the masjid and I know of plenty of people who are poor to give sadaqah and zakat to. Get to know the poor muslims in your community and you’ll soon realize that they are very generous with other things such as their time, services, homes, etc.
Mashallah Tabarakallah, very nice article. I live in a wealthy Muslim country and Alhamdulillah this year some of us went to personally deliver our rice for Eid ul Fitr (based on a previous article from Bakkah on how to measure). The benefits mentioned in this article are very real, and I encourage those that have the ability to hand deliver the Zakatul Fitr.
Assalaamu ‘alaikum
If a family clearly instructed their representative (and who agreed) to distribute their zakaat al-Fitr in food to the poor in a another country did not carry this out and instead gave the zakaat al-Fitr in money to the poor people (due to lack of time), what should the family do? should they give the zakaat al-fitr again in food form?
Baarak Allaahu feek
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah,
Jazakallahu khayr. Please I have some questions:
1. In the event one is not aware/sure of needy people within his immediate neighbourhood, would it be okay to give zakatul-fitr to confirmed needy people in another neighbourhood?
2. Given high rate of unemployment and lay-offs these days, can an employee who lost job and has no savings, yet does not beg be considered a faqeer before he gets another job?
3. In terms of zakah other than zakat-ul-fitr, can the same be applied (searching out the needy by yourself instead of relying on organizations)?
Assalamualaikum..ya Akhi, I have a question a very important one regarding zakah. Myself and my family Alhamdulillah, Allah azzawajalla blessed us to have rizk enough for certain time of the year. Inshaallah. Is it permissible in Islam to give zakah to myself and my own family. We tried to find a family poorer than us and when we went to visit them, we are even poorer than they are Allahuakhbar. Please help us. we know it is late in terms of Ramadhan but if there is still time to pay for this zakah we would like to pay for zakah. Inshaallah. May Allah Bless us with ease in all our affairs amin.
Jazzakallahukhairan
As-Salaamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu,
May Allah give you the highest Jannah for sharing this beneficial knowledge with us. May Allah accept these efforts as good deeds.
Can you please share any knowledge you may have with us as to the following questions (in whole or in part)?
1. Is it haram to give money to an organization for zakaat-al-fitr? Or is it discouraged?
2. (related to the first question) Would zakaat-al-fitr be deficient if given as money to an organization?
3. Are there regulations as to when zakaat-al-fitr should be given? When is too early? When is too late?
4. Are there regulations as to where the zakaat-al-fitr should be given? What if a person is traveling?
Jazakallahu khayran.
wa ‘alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
1. It is not allowed when (a) the organization itself or its workers are not trustworthy, or (b) they are distributing the money in cash. Towkeel (assigning someone to perform an action on your behalf) is allowed for zakaat al-fitr, however, we need to review the points made in this article, and ask ourselves: Are we losing the meaning behind this act of worship by unnecessarily relying on others to do it for us? Why is it that some fully capable Muslim men have never connected with a poor family to deliver their zakaat al-fitr themselves?
2. Yes, in fact zakaat al-fitr would not actually take place in situation #1a and #1b. When you entrust people who are not trustworthy in the first place, and they do not fulfill the trust, you are not excused. However, if you entrusted a trustworthy person to distribute your zakaat al-fitr before the ‘Eed Prayer, and it actually was distributed as food to rightful receipients before the ‘Eed Prayer on your behalf, then the duty has been fulfilled.
3. Zakaat al-Fitr is best given (a) the evening preceding the ‘Eed Prayer up until the ‘Eed Prayer itself, (b) while some Companions would give it a bit early, by a day or two, (c) and some scholars said it is valid from the beginning of the month of Ramadhaan. Once the ‘Eed Prayer begins the time for Zakaat al-Fitr is over.
4. Zakaat al-Fitr should can be given wherever a Muslim is on earth. If he does not find any poor people in the place where he is, he can try to deputize someone to distribute it on his behalf in another place, and Allaah knows best.
Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah
May Allah bless you!
I made a lot of money one year and after an Islamic year was up I paid zakat on it. Because I made sufficient amount of money that year I didn’t have to work the following year and lived off the savings I made. But now its time for Zakat again. Do i have to pay zakat on that wealth again (it is over the nisab) even though i paid zakat on it already and have not had any new wealth come in?
Jazakum’Allahu khair
Wa ‘alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi. Yes, every year, whatever savings you have, whether it is new or saved from previous years.
Assalamualaikum Sheikh. May i ask, is it permissible to give zakat al-fithri to my aunty living with her only child ( 19 years old). Her husband had passed away and She is not working. I am not sure of her son’s status if he is working to support his mother. I do not know if she has savings to support her daily needs. Is she allowed to receive zakat al-fithri
Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu. As long as she is poor, she may receive it. If she is rich, with lots of money saved, then she does not qualify.
Assalaamu alayk.
1) Can Zakaatul Fitr be given to non – Muslims?
2) Why is the title “15 reasons” while there are only 8?
Assalaamu’alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu
In discharging the zakaah, a group of brothers were traveling by car and stopped over at a place known for having poor people. One of the brothers who was driving stopped on the main road upon arriving in the area, and upon seeing some random, unknown guys resembling pathans, all the brothers in the car handed their zakaah to them.
Is this act accepted?
Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. Based on the apparent situation, if poor Muslims accepted the food items, then that is acceptable, and Allah knows best.
Assalamu Alaikum. Where the remaining points? Could you provide me with the link of the second article please? This article only has eight points. Jazak Allaahu khair.