Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(95): “Ruling on Zakat-ul-Fitr“

Date Added : 28-10-2015

 

Resolution No.(95) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

     "Ruling on Zakat-ul-Fitr“    

Date: 9/9/1426 AH, corresponding to 12/10/2005.

 

 

Question:

What is the ruling on Zakat-ul-Fitr ?

Answer: All success is due to Allah.

Zakat-ul-Fitr is the Zakat due in Ramadan on every Muslim who can afford to give it, whether young or old, male or female. Ibn Umar narrated: “Allah's Apostle enjoined the payment of one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr on every Muslim slave or free, male or female, young or old, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the 'Id prayer. (One Sa' = 3 Kilograms approx).”{Bukhari}.

It has been enjoined for what is mentioned in the following Hadith: Ibn ’Abbas (RAA) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) enjoined Zakat-ul-fitr on the one who fasts (i.e. fasted during the month of Ramadan) to purify him from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy. It is accepted as Zakah for the person who pays it before the Eid prayer and it is Sadaqah (i.e. voluntary charity) for the person who pays it after the Eid prayer." [Related by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah and Al-Hakim graded it as Sahih].

A Muslim is obliged to give for himself and on behalf of those whom he is obliged to provide for: wife, children,  his Muslim servants, and his baby who is born before the Eid prayer.

Zakat-ul-Fitr is one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley or the like from the regular food of the people of that country.

A Muslim is free to choose from these items in accordance with his financial capability, and it is permissible to give the monetary value of the Sa`, so as to facilitate for Muslims and do what is best for the poor. The monetary value of the Sa` of each item is estimated by the circulated price of that item. In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the regular food is wheat; therefore, the monetary value of Zakat-ul-Fitr for the year (2005) was estimated at six hundred and fifty fils as a minimum, and whoever gives more Allah will multiply his reward.

Its due time is after the sunset of Eid night and before the Eid prayer. This is based on the Hadith narrated by Ibn Umar: “The Prophet ordered the people to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr before going to the 'Id prayer." {Bukhari}. However, it is permissible to give it during Ramadan to facilitate for the poor. And Allah knows best.

 

 

 

Iftaa` Board

Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, Chief Justice, Izzaldeen Al-Tamimi

Dr. AbdulMajeed Al-Salaheen

Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Abbadi

Dr. Yousef Ghyzaan

Dr. Wasif Al-Bakhri

Dr. Abdukareem Al-Khasawneh

Sheikh Sae`id Hijjawi

Sheikh Nae`im Mujahid

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on performing the Witr prayer after the Adhan for Fajr prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The time for Witr prayer begins after the ‘Ishā' prayer and ends with the rising of true dawn (al-fajr aṣ-ṣādiq). If a Muslim performs it at any point within this window, it counts as performed on time.
It is also recommended to make up a missed Witr prayer at any time — whether before or after performing the Fajr prayer, or at any other time of day. On the authority of Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī (raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever falls asleep and misses the Witr prayer, or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers, or when he wakes up." (Related by at-Tirmidhī)
Shaykh al-Islām, Imam Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī (raḥimahullāh), says: "The time for Witr prayer is between the ‘Ishā' prayer and the rising of dawn, based on the authentic ḥadīth to this effect. If this time has passed, it is permissible for him to make it up (qaḍā') afterward." [Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj]. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the Islamic ruling on eating from the 'aqīqah?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is recommended (mandūb) to eat from the 'aqīqah, unless it was vowed (mandhūrah). If the 'aqīqah was made as a vow, then it is prohibited to eat from it, and it becomes obligatory to distribute the entirety of it in charity to the poor. And Allah Almighty knows best.

Who is the one deemed "able" (al-qādir), for whom the uḍḥiyah (sacrificial offering) is sunnah?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The one who is deemed "able" (al-qādir) [to perform the uḍḥiyah, i.e., the sacrifice] is someone who possesses wealth sufficient to acquire the sacrificial animal, over and above what is needed to cover his own living expenses and the living expenses of his wife and children — or of anyone else whose financial support (nafaqah) is legally obligatory upon him — for the day of ‘Eid and the three days of Tashrīq [that follow it], since this is the designated time period for the sacrifice. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

In the Sharia-compliant viewing  at a prospective bride (*al-naẓrah al-sharʿiyyah*), is it permissible for the man to see the woman without a veil (*ḥijāb*)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is sunnah for the suitor to see the woman he is seeking to marry within the limits the Sharīʿah permits, namely looking at the face and the hands (palms and backs), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Look at her, for it is more likely to bring about harmony between you.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī.
The suitor may also ask one of the women to look at the woman he is seeking to marry. In that case, she is permitted to see of her what she is normally permitted to see, which is not limited to the face and hands, and she then describes these matters to the suitor. It is narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Umm Sulaym to look at a girl, and said: “Smell her breath, and look at her heels.” Narrated by Aḥmad in his Musnad.
It is stated in Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj (Vol.7/p.192): “For one who cannot easily look, or does not wish to look himself, it is sunnah to send someone who is permitted to look at her, to observe her and describe her to him, even regarding what he himself is not permitted to look at. He thereby gains through the sending what he would not gain through looking. Because of the added need for this, it is excepted from the prohibition of a woman describing another woman to a man.”
The permissibility of looking is conditional upon his resolve to marry her once he is able to, his predominant assumption that his proposal will be accepted, and his assumption that the woman is free of marriage and of a waiting period (ʿiddah). Otherwise, looking is forbidden.
Accordingly, it is not permissible for the suitor to look at anything other than the face and hands. He may ask one of his maḥram women, such as his mother or sister, to see the woman unveiled, and the Sharia-compliant viewing (of a prospective bride) must take place in the presence of one of the woman’s maḥrams. And Allah Almighty knows best.