Dar Al-Iftaa: The Amount of Zakat al-Fitr for This Year is 10 Shekels

SadaNews - Dar Al-Iftaa has estimated the Zakat al-Fitr for this year (1447 AH / 2026 AD) to be (10 shekels), and the expiation for fasting is to provide two meals from the average food consumed by the one who is exempted, provided that their value does not fall below the amount of Zakat al-Fitr.

Dar Al-Iftaa has estimated the threshold for Zakat al-Mal to be (7000 Jordanian Dinars), based on the average price of 24-carat gold in the local market during the lunar year from the beginning of Ramadan 1446 AH until the last week of Sha'ban 1447 AH.

In this regard, the council clarified the following:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, has mandated Zakat al-Fitr for every accountable Muslim on their own behalf and on behalf of those they are obligated to support from among the Muslims, both adults and minors. It was narrated by Umar ibn Nafi, from his father, from Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, that he said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, made Zakat al-Fitr compulsory to be one 'sa' of dates or one 'sa' of barley on the slave and the free, the male and the female, the young and the old among the Muslims, and he ordered that it be paid before the people go out to the prayer" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Zakat, Chapter on the Obligation of Zakat al-Fitr).

The noble Sunnah has indicated that the Zakat al-Fitr by measurement is one 'sa' measured by the measurement of Medina, and the majority of jurists believe that its weight amounts to (2176 grams), which is at least (2 kg and 176 grams) of the predominant food of the country, such as wheat, bread, and flour in our case. The Hanafi school has allowed it to be given in cash if that is easier for the giver and more beneficial for the receiver. There is no condition of wealth or threshold for the obligation of Zakat al-Fitr; rather, it is obligatory for one who possesses more than their own food and the food of their family for a day and a night.

The Higher Ifta Council sees it permissible to give Zakat al-Fitr in cash, which is (ten shekels or the equivalent in other currencies), to facilitate matters for both the giver and the recipient, and whoever wishes to give more voluntarily will be doing good.

It is permissible to advance Zakat al-Fitr during the blessed month of Ramadan so that the poor and needy can meet their essential needs. It is noteworthy that many opinions have been narrated regarding the timing of giving Zakat al-Fitr. Ibn Hazm stated that the time for Zakat al-Fitr is the onset of the month of Shawwal, that is, with the sunset of the last day of Ramadan. The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to give it a day or two before breaking their fast. As mentioned in the authentic narration from Ibn Umar [Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Zakat, Chapters on Zakat al-Fitr, Chapter on Zakat al-Fitr for the free and the owned], Ahmad held this view, which is relied upon by the Maliki school, and some of them permitted to give it three days in advance. Some Hanbali scholars stated that it is permissible to hasten it from after the middle of the month, and Al-Shafi'i said it is permissible from the first of Ramadan. The opinion of permitting giving it from after the middle of the month is more lenient for the people; rather, the Higher Ifta Council favors its permissibility from the beginning of the month, as Imam Al-Shafi'i observed, because society has become more expansive and complex in our time today. It is not permissible in Sharia to delay it until after the Eid al-Fitr prayer. Whoever does not give it during the specified time has it as a debt upon them, and they must give it after that, and it would then be considered as a regular charity. Those who delay it until after the Eid prayer without excuse will incur sin.

The council indicated that one of the fruits of Zakat al-Fitr is that it purifies the fasting individual and brings joy to the poor on the day of Eid.

Amount of Expiation for Fasting

The sick person with a chronic illness - from which recovery is not expected - or the elderly person who is unable to fast must provide expiation for fasting. The amount is: (feeding two poor persons) for each day they break their fast, provided that the value of the expiation does not fall below the value of Zakat al-Fitr, considering the level of spending on food for the family that is providing the expiation, based on the Almighty's saying: {So whoever among you is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a fine [of feeding a poor person]. But whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. And to fast is best for you, if you only knew} (Al-Baqarah: 184).

Threshold for Zakat al-Mal

The threshold for Zakat al-Mal is estimated based on gold and silver. The weight of the gold threshold is twenty mithqal, and the threshold for silver is two hundred dirhams. The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to use the term mithqal or dinar for gold, and the term dirham for silver. The Higher Ifta Council holds that gold should be relied upon to determine the threshold for Zakat of liquid assets. Since one mithqal - meaning a gold dinar - equals four and a quarter grams (4.25 grams) according to the opinion of the majority of jurists, based on the mithqal of Medina, the threshold for gold becomes eighty-five grams, that is (20 × 4.25 = 85 grams).

Based on the average price of gold in local markets during the lunar year from the beginning of Ramadan 1446 AH until the last week of Sha'ban 1447 AH, which reached an average price of one gram of 24-carat gold at 83 Jordanian Dinars, the amount of the threshold for Zakat is equal to (83 × 85 = 7055), thus establishing the threshold at (7000) Jordanian Dinars or its equivalent in other currencies. This estimate is subject to modification according to fluctuations in the price of gold when Zakat is due at other times, and the year considered for completing the lunar period is according to the lunar months.

And Allah Almighty speaks the truth and guides to the right path.