Fitra and fidya are both essential components in the religion of Islam. While one caters to Ramadan, the other caters to Eid. Both practices emphasize the importance of helping the less fortunate and fostering a sense of community among Muslims. This blog will delve deeper into these concepts and what the Shariah states about them.
Fitra & Its Meaning
“The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordained Zakatul-Fitr as a means of purifying the fasting individual from idle chatter and inappropriate speech, as well as a way to provide for the needy.”
As Ramadan ends and Eid approaches, every Muslim must pay an obligatory amount to the needy and poor. This amount is termed fitra. It is an Arabic word derived from the word ‘fitr,’ which translates to the nature Allah SWT created humans upon. The word fitr can also be translated to ‘breaking the fast’ because eating is considered a natural human activity.
The Time For Fitra
“The Prophet PBUH ordered that the people should pay the fitra before they go out for performing Eid prayer.”
The shariah states that the time for giving fitra or zakal al-Fitr is when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadan and before the Eid prayer. Therefore, if anybody gets married, has a baby, or becomes a Muslim before the sun sets, they have to give fitra. But they don’t have to pay fitra if all these things occur after sunset. But if somebody dies after the sun sets, somebody has to pay fitra on that person’s behalf.
Fitra can also be paid two or three days beforehand if necessary. Based on this ruling, giving fitra one or two weeks before Eid is not permissible. But if one is afraid that the money will not reach the homeland, it is acceptable to send it earlier, even if it is sent before Ramadan.
Who Should Pay Fitra?
According to most Islamic scholars, fitra is obligatory for every person.
“Umar RA said that the Prophet PBUH made the payment of one sa’ of barley or dates necessary for every one as sadaqat-ul-fitr. Whether he is male or female, a free male or female, or a slave male or female.”
The Fitra Of The Wife
The husband is obligated to pay the fitra on behalf of his wife, even if she can pay it herself. He must also pay it for a wife whose divorce is not yet final. The only exception is the wife, who is rebellious and whose divorce is final.
Note: The phrase ‘whose divorce is not final’ means the woman is still in iddah of the first or second divorce.
The Fitra Of The Children & Parents
The guardian is also obligated to give fitra on behalf of his children who are minors and the daughter who is married but whose marriage has not been consummated. He doesn’t have to pay it on behalf of his son if the son is wealthy. A guardian also has to pay fitra on behalf of his parents if they are poor.
The Fitra Of An Orphan
If someone is voluntarily sponsoring an orphan, he doesn’t have to pay the fitra on behalf of the orphan. Rather, the fitra must be paid from the orphan’s wealth. If the orphan does not have any wealth, then the fitra must be paid by a relative who is obligated by the Shariah to spend on the orphan.
Note: When one starts giving fitra, he should first start with the closest people. Himself, then his wife, his children, and then the rest of his relatives in order of closeness of relation and the rules governing inheritance distribution.
Amount Of Fitra
The amount of Zakat specified in the hadith is one sa, a volume measurement that varies depending on the type of food. Consequently, the Zakat given should be equivalent to one sa of that particular food item. One sa is roughly equal to 3 kilograms of rice.
Fidya & Its Meaning
“(Fast) a certain number of days; and (for) him who is sick among you, or on a journey, (the same) number of other days; and for those who can afford it there is a ransom: the feeding of a man in need.”
Fidya is an Arabic word that means expiation or compensation. It is a religious donation given to the poor when a person does not fast during Ramadan and is unable to make up for the missed days (due to a long-term health condition such as cancer, etc).
The Time For Fidya
When it comes to paying fidya, Muslim jurists have two opinions.
Fiqh Hanafi
The first opinion states that it is permissible for people who can’t fast due to the lack of chances of recovery to pay the fidya for the whole month when Ramadan begins. It is also allowed to delay paying the fidya until Ramadan ends, according to the Hanafi school of thought.
Fiqh Shafi
The second opinion states that the fidya is payable in the following ways:
- Day by day, after breaking the fast for each day of Ramadan.
- Or for the day the person broke the fast, before dawn or after it, and to be paid at night.
- Or to pay it once Ramadan ends.
This opinion further states that even if the person paid the fidya for the whole month of Ramadan in advance, it still remains a debt they need to pay. It is stated in Moghni al-Mohtajj that:
The ill, old, pregnant and suckling aren’t allowed to pay the fidya of two days or more in advance.
Al-Nawawi, in his book Al-Majmou, states that,
The scholars agree that the old and ill who suffer from an incurable disease aren’t allowed to pay the fidya when Ramadan begins. However, they can pay it after the dawn rises of each fasting day. But is it permissible to pay it before dawn? Regarding this, Ad-Darimi stated that it is permissible conclusively and this is the right opinion.
Condition For Fidya
It is essential to keep in mind that fidya is only applicable to individuals who have ongoing sickness such as cancer, kidney diseases, and other similar conditions and there are no chances of recovery. These people aren’t permitted to fast but must feed a needy person daily.
Fidya also applies to people who cannot fast, such as old men and women. The evidence for this is found in Surah Baqarah, in which Allah SWT states,
“(Fast) a certain number of days; and (for) him who is sick among you, or on a journey, (the same) number of other days; and for those who can afford it there is a ransom: the feeding of a man in need.”
Amount For Fidya
“If the medical professional states that the person going through the sickness has no chances for recovery and is unable to fast, then you must feed the poor person each day for which the fast is missed. The amount of food to be given is equal to half a saa’ of local staple food, whether it is dates or consists of other food, for both the past and the future months. If you give a needy person dinner or breakfast for each day that you didn’t fast, then it is sufficient. In the case of giving cash, it doesn’t count.”
[Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (10/198)]
It is stated that the food to be given is equal to half a saa’, equal to approximately one and a half kilograms. The person can provide all the food in one go at the end of the month, or he can prepare some food and then invite the people to come and eat because Anas RA used to do the same.