Zakat al-Fitr Calculator

What is Zakat al-Fitr?

Zakat al-Fitr is an obligatory charity given at the end of the fast of the blessed month of Ramadan. It is also called "Sadaqat al-Fitr" and "the zakat of bodies" or "the zakat of heads", because it is due on persons rather than on wealth. It was prescribed in the second year after the Hijrah, the same year in which the fast of Ramadan was made obligatory. It differs from zakat on wealth in that, according to the majority, neither a nisab nor the passing of a year (hawl) is required for it; rather, it is linked to reaching the time of breaking the fast at the end of Ramadan.

There is great wisdom in this charity: it makes up for any shortcomings or idle talk that may have occurred from the fasting person during his fast, and it brings joy to the hearts of the poor and needy on the day of Eid, so that no one in need remains in the Muslim community begging from people on the day of joy and happiness.

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory as a purification for the fasting person from idle and obscene talk, and as food for the poor."Narrated by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah from the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)

The Zakat al-Fitr calculator on the Mizan website helps you find the amount due from you and from those you support, in kilograms of food or in approximate cash value for those who follow the view of the scholars who permitted that.

The ruling on Zakat al-Fitr

Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory on every Muslim according to the vast majority of scholars, and some of them described it as fard. The basis for this is the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both):

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory: a sa' of dates or a sa' of barley, on the slave and the free, the male and the female, the young and the old among the Muslims, and he commanded that it be paid before the people go out to the prayer."Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The hadith indicates that the obligation applies generally to every Muslim, male or female, young or old, that what is due is one sa' of food, and that the best time to pay it is before the Eid prayer.

Who must pay Zakat al-Fitr?

According to the majority of jurists, Zakat al-Fitr is due from every Muslim who possesses more than his own sustenance and that of those he is obliged to maintain for the day and night of Eid, beyond his basic needs. The majority do not require him to possess the zakat nisab, unlike the Hanafis, who stipulated possession of the nisab over and above basic needs.

• The Muslim pays it for himself and for everyone he is religiously obliged to maintain, such as his wife, young children and needy parents.
• A child born before sunset on the last day of Ramadan must have it paid for him; for one born after that, it is not obligatory but recommended.
• The unborn child in the mother's womb: it is not obligatory for him according to the majority, though some scholars considered it recommended to pay it on his behalf, which is reported from 'Uthman ibn 'Affan (may Allah be pleased with him).
• Whoever dies before sunset on the eve of Eid: it is not due for him; whoever dies after that, it becomes due from his estate according to those who hold that the obligation begins at sunset.
• An adult son with his own independent income pays it for himself, and if his father pays it on his behalf with his permission, it is valid.

The amount of Zakat al-Fitr

The amount due for each person is one sa' of the staple food of the people of the country, such as dates, barley, wheat, rice, raisins, dried yoghurt (aqit) and the like. The sa' is a measure of volume, not of weight, meaning it is estimated by capacity rather than weight; it equals four mudds, and a mudd is the fill of the two cupped hands of an average man. Therefore the weight of a sa' differs according to the type and density of the food; a sa' of rice is heavier than a sa' of barley, for example.

This variation results from contemporary scholars' differences in converting ancient measures of volume into modern weights, and from differences in the density of foods; there is latitude in the matter, and whoever gives more has taken precaution for his religion and increased in good. The Hanafis hold that what is due from wheat is half a sa', and from other foods a full sa'.

The time for paying Zakat al-Fitr

Zakat al-Fitr has times with different rulings:

1. The time it becomes obligatory: sunset on the last day of Ramadan according to the majority, the Shafi'is and Hanbalis and one view among the Malikis; and dawn on the day of Eid according to the Hanafis.
2. The preferred time: the morning of the day of Eid after the Fajr prayer and before the Eid prayer, according to the hadith of Ibn 'Umar mentioned above.
3. The permissible time: a day or two before Eid; the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to do so, as reported in Sahih al-Bukhari. The Shafi'is permitted paying it early from the beginning of Ramadan, and the Hanafis permitted paying it in advance without restriction.
4. The time of late payment (qada'): after the Eid prayer; whoever delays it past the prayer without an excuse is sinful according to many scholars, and it remains an obligation upon him to be paid late. Some scholars considered delaying it past the prayer disliked and delaying it past the day of Eid forbidden.

The ruling on paying the value in cash

This is one of the well-known issues on which the jurists differ:

• The majority of jurists, the Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis, hold that it must be paid in food as stated in the hadith, and that the value does not suffice, because the Prophet ﷺ specified it in food even though money existed in his time.
• The Hanafis, along with a group of the early generations and contemporary scholars, permitted paying the value in cash, holding that the purpose is to make the poor self-sufficient on the day of Eid, and money may be more beneficial to him in some circumstances.

The more cautious course is to pay it in food, to avoid the disagreement; whoever is in a country whose scholars issue fatwas permitting the value, or where the poor person's need for cash is evident, may follow the view of those who permitted it. This is why the calculator shows the amount in kilograms of food first, then the approximate value according to the price per kilogram you enter.

To whom is Zakat al-Fitr given?

Many scholars hold that Zakat al-Fitr is given specifically to the poor and needy, because of the words in the hadith "as food for the poor"; this is the view of the Malikis and the choice of a number of verifying scholars. The Shafi'is and others hold that it is distributed among the eight categories of zakat recipients mentioned in Surah At-Tawbah, like zakat on wealth. It is best to give priority to the poor and needy, especially needy relatives and neighbours.

• It is permissible to give one person's charity to several poor people, and to give the charities of a group to one poor person.
• It is not given to those whom the payer is obliged to maintain, such as parents, children and the wife.
• The basic rule is to pay it in the country where the Muslim was at the time it became obligatory, and many contemporary scholars permit transferring it for a need or a clear benefit.
• It is permissible to appoint trustworthy charitable organisations to pay it, on condition that it reaches those entitled to it on time.

How to use the Zakat al-Fitr calculator

1. Enter the number of people you will pay for, including yourself, your wife, your children and those you support.
2. Choose the type of food that is the staple in your country (rice, wheat, dates, barley...) or specify the weight of the sa' you adopt (2.04, 2.5 or 3 kg).
3. Enter the price per kilogram of this food in your country if you want to know the cost or the cash value.
4. Press "Calculate" to see the total quantity in kilograms and the approximate cost.

Practical example

A family consisting of the father, the mother and three children, i.e. five people, adopted the estimate of the sa' as 2.5 kg of rice, with rice costing 8 currency units per kilogram:

• Quantity due: 5 × 2.5 = 12.5 kg of rice.
• Approximate cost: 12.5 × 8 = 100 currency units.

If they adopted the 3 kg estimate as a precaution, the quantity would be 15 kg and the cost 120 currency units.

To learn about the rulings of zakat on wealth, gold and shares, use the zakat on wealth calculator, and for the rulings on those unable to fast, see the fidya and kaffarah page.