Chapter: Zakat al-Fitr
Ibn al-Mundhir said: Every scholar whose opinion we have preserved has reached a consensus that Sadaqat al-Fitr (charity of breaking the fast) is an obligation. Ishaq said: It is like an consensus among the people of knowledge. Ibn Abd al-Barr claimed that some latecomers among the companions of Malik and Dawud say that it is a stressed Sunnah. The rest of the scholars hold that it is obligatory, due to what Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made Zakat al-Fitr from Ramadan obligatory upon the people, [giving] one sa’ of dates or one sa’ of barley, upon every free person and slave, male and female, among the Muslims. Agreed upon. In al-Bukhari’s version: And upon the young and the old among the Muslims. Also from him: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded that Zakat al-Fitr be paid before the people go out to the prayer. And from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri who said: We used to pay Zakat al-Fitr as one sa’ of food, or one sa’ of barley, or one sa’ of dates, or one sa’ of aqit (dried curd), or one sa’ of raisins. Both are agreed upon. Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab and Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz said regarding the Almighty's saying: "He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself" (87:14): It is Zakat al-Fitr. This Zakat is attributed to the Fitr (breaking of the fast) because it becomes obligatory upon the breaking of the fast of Ramadan. Ibn Qutaybah said: It is called Fitrah because al-fitrah is creation, as Allah the Almighty said: "[Adhere to] the fitrah (innate nature) of Allah upon which He has created all people."
(5) In M: "Sadaqah (charity)". (6) Omitted from the original and B. (7) In M: addition of "or one sa’ of aqit": and see what follows regarding the hadith of Abu Sa'id. (8) Narrated by al-Bukhari, in: The Chapter on the Obligation of Sadaqat al-Fitr, the Chapter on Sadaqat al-Fitr for the Slave and others among the Muslims, the Chapter on Sadaqat al-Fitr for the Free Person and the Owned, and the Chapter on Sadaqat al-Fitr for the Young and the Old, from the Book of Zakat. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/161, 162. And Muslim, in: The Chapter on Zakat al-Fitr for Muslims from dates and barley, from the Book of Zakat. Sahih Muslim 2/677, 678. It was also narrated by Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on how much is to be paid in Sadaqat al-Fitr? from the Book of Zakat. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/373, 374. Al-Tirmidhi, in: The Chapter on what has come regarding Sadaqat al-Fitr, from the Chapters of Zakat, 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 3/182-184. Al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter on the Obligation of the Zakat of Ramadan, the Chapter on the Obligation of the Zakat of Ramadan for the Owned, the Chapter on the Obligation of the Zakat of Ramadan for the Young, the Chapter on the Obligation of the Zakat of Ramadan for Muslims excluding the Mu'ahideen (covenanted people), the Chapter on how much is obligated, and the Chapter on as-Salt (wheat-like grain), from the Book of Zakat. Al-Mujtaba 5/34-36, 41. Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on Sadaqat al-Fitr, from the Book of Zakat. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/584. Al-Darimi, in: The Chapter on Zakat al-Fitr, from the Book of Zakat. Sunan al-Darimi 1/392. Imam Malik, in: The Chapter on the Ownership of Zakat al-Fitr, from the Book of Zakat. Al-Muwatta 1/284. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 2/55, 63, 66, 114, 137.
