Zakat al-Fitrah FAQ

Q. What is Zakat al-Fitrah?
A: It is religious tax/alms (Zakat) paid on the day when Muslims break the fasting period at the end of the month of Ramadan. This alms is known as Zakat al-Fitrah.

Q. What do the Qur'an and Hadith say about Fitrah?
A: Imams (as) say that the verses: Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success, and glorifies the Name of his Lord and prays (87:14 & 15) refer to giving of Fitrah and saying prayers on Eid al-Fitr. Hazrat Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq (A.S.) said: for your fast to be accepted, give zakat.

Q. When does Fitrah become wajib (obligatroy)?
A. Payment of Fitrah becomes obligatory after sunset on the eve of Eid al-Fitr. The Fitrah should be kept aside and paid on Eid al-Fitr before Eid prayers or before midday for those who cannot say their Eid prayers. It is necessary to have obligatory intention (Niyyah) of giving Fitrah for God's pleasure only.

Q. What happens if someone forgets or does not give Fitrah on time?
A. If one does not give out or set aside the Fitrah within the due time, he should give the Fitrah later, on the basis of precaution, without making the niyyah of adaa or qadhaa but only Qurbatan Ilallah.

Q. Can we give Fitrah in advance?
A. Giving Fitrah before the eve of Eid al-Fitr is not permissible. However, if you wish to send Fitrah earlier so that it reaches the needy on time, then you can send it as a temporary loan to the needy and then change your intention from loan to Fitrah on the eve of Eid al-Fitr.

Q. To whom is Fitrah obligatroy?
A. Paying Fitrah is obligatory on every Muslim who is mature (baligh), sane, financially able, and conscious on the eve of Eid al-Fitr. Fitrah should also be paid on behalf of all dependents (e.g. wife, children) whom one supports financially.

Q. When is a host required to pay Fitrah for his guest?
A. If a person invites another person to his house on the eve of Eid al-Fitr and if the guest is present at the host's place at the time of the sunset then it is obligatory for the host to pay Fitrah for his guest.

Q. What happens if the guest arrives after the sunset on Eid night?
A. In this case the guest will pay his/her own Fitrah and it is not obligatory on the host to pay Fitrah for the guest.

Q. How much should we pay for Fitrah?
A. Fitrah for a person is given on a weight of three kilograms (one sa'a) on any food commodity like wheat, barley, rice, millet, raisins or dates. Ayatullah Sayyid As-Sistani is of the opinion that the item that is not a staple food in your town should not be given in Fitrah. Say, for example, if millet is not a staple in Vancouver then Vancouver Mumineen should not pay Fitrah on millet.

Q. Who should not be given the Fitrah?
A. A needy who: consumes alcohol, does not say his daily prayers (salat), commits sins openly, or he who is known to use the Fitrah in sinful way.

Q. Are there any additional rules that we need to be aware of?
A. Following are some important rules:
(i) Fitrah should not be sent outside the town one resides in, if there are deserving Mumineen in that town.
(ii) Fitrah from a non-Sayyid cannot be given to a needy Sayyid; the reverse is permissible.
(iii) A needy should be given at least one Fitrah.
(iv) Amongst the needy, relatives should be preferred over others when giving Fitrah, next in line are neighbors and then the learned.

GRATEFULNESS:

Islam commands us to be GRATEFUL to ALLAH by using His favours in proper manners. We should share ALLAH's favours on us, with others. Allah can provide them (needy ones) better than what He has given to us, but He wants to test us: Is the love of Allah more in our hearts or the love of Dollars?

Sadaqah al-Fitr (voluntary charity) is a very important part of Fasting in Ramadan. One very important aspect of fasting is that we become aware of how poor people feel. Poverty is a cause of many problems.

Al Hamdulillah, Islam has really solved the big problem of Slavery. And Insha Allah, Poverty will be solved.

Avoid list during the month of Ramadan

1. Reduce watching TV, instead spend more time reading the Quran other Islamic literature.
2. Avoid looking at unlawful pictures, whether magazines, department store catalogs or otherwise.
3. Avoid going to theaters; instead go to Masajid, Islamic organizations and make that a daily habit.
4. Avoid eating too much. Eat only when you are hungry and try not to fill your stomach completely.
5. If you drink Coffee, Tea or Soda, be sure to reduce consumption.
6. If you smoke, try to reduce daily usage; otherwise Ramadan will be very difficult for you to observe.
7. If you like to listen to music, whether the style of western societies or even those from Muslim countries, reduce, even eliminate the time you spent on them; replace them with reciting and listening to recitation from the Quran.
8. If you enjoy playing cards and board games try your best to avoid them as much as possible and fill your time with something useful.
9. If you enjoy going with friends to picnics and other social gatherings, try to reduce it before Ramadan; otherwise fasting the month of Ramadan will be more difficult.
10. If you have friends who do not practice the teaching of Islam, try to avoid socializing with them.
11. If you travel a lot on business, try to do more local business, so you can be more closer to your family and community.
12. If you are used to staying up till midnight, try to go to bed earlier, so that you will be able to wake up early for Salat al-Fajr and Tahajjud prayers as well.

Few Tips for RAMZAN (DO's)

A Quick preparation list for the month of Ramadan

Ramadan is the month of excitement for Muslims. Ramadan is the month of revelation of Quran, the month of reading and reciting the whole Quran, the month of Tahajjud and Qiyam al-layl prayers, Sadaqah,Zakah al -fitr and Zakah al-Mal. Ramadan is also a month of social activities among Muslims.

1. Start reading Quran daily after Salat al-Fajr.
2. Spend some time listening to recitations from the Quran.
3. Train yourself to go bed early so that you can wake up far Salat al-Fajr.
4. Keep yourself in a state of Wudu (Ablution) most of the time.
5. Evaluate yourself daily before going bed.
6. Thank Allah for good deeds, and repent to Him for your mistakes and sins.
7. Start giving Sadaqah daily, no matter how little. Make it a habit like eating and drinking.
8. Find time to pray extras, such as Tahajjud prayers.
9. Spend more time reading Islamic books, especially the Quran, Sirah, Hadith, and Fiqh.
10. Find time to help others with your wisdom, knowledge and other talents.
11. Try to write articles on Islam for Muslims as well as for non-Muslims.
12. Associate with Muslim scholars / ulama and other pious people so that you may learn from them.
13. Train yourself to do good, render free service to others to seek the pleasure of Allah.

A Common Problem - Bad Breath while Ramadhan Fasting

During the holy month of Ramadhan, Muslims all over the world will be fasting. One of the most common complaints during fasting is the bad breath that people experience. This condition, in medical terms, is called halitosis. What causes bad breath and how can it be prevented?

Causes of bad breath can be broadly classified into local causes and systemic causes. Causative factors within the mouth are termed local causes. Causes due to factors or diseases of the body, such as diabetes, smoking, kidney disease and stomach upset are known as systemic causes. We will be limiting our discussion to local causes only.

Local Causes: Within the human mouth there are numerous kinds of bacteria, which, as by-products, give out sulphides and ammonia which are the main causes of bad breath. Hence the amount of bacteria has to be controlled, and conditions that cause them to thrive have to be eliminated.

These factors are:

1. Poor oral hygiene caused by not brushing or improper tooth brushing technique.
2. A dirty tongue.
3. Cavities in the teeth.
4. Gum disease caused by plaque and tartar.
5. Dirty dentures, false teeth and other fixed appliances in the mouth.

After having identified the causes, we can now deal with how to prevent bad breath, especially while fasting:

1. Brushing one's teeth after every meal, preferably early morning (at Sehri time).
2. Flossing one's teeth which mean cleaning between the teeth using special thread called dental floss. Use of toothpicks is not advisable for this purpose.
3. Use of a tongue or using a toothbrush to clean the tongue.
4. Use of an anti-bacterial mouthwash. A non-alcoholic mouthwash should be used as alcohol causes a dry mouth which can aggravate the problem.
5. Cavities in the teeth should be filled promptly to prevent food accumulation within them.
6. Removal of tartar on teeth by a dentist at least once every six months.
7. Drink at least 2-3 glasses of water at Sehri time.