What is Fitrana?
Fitrana (Zakat ul Fitr) is also known as special Zakat or obligatory alms of “Breaking the Fast”. It is a special charity to be given on or before the morning of Eid Ul Fitr and is obligatory for every able Muslim irrespective of age and gender.
A number of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) companions have noted the universal nature of Zakat-ul-Fitr.
In the words of Abu Hurayrah, Fitrana is due on “every Muslim, free or bondsmen, male or female, young or old, poor or rich”. (Bukhari).
The Fitrana payment can be given to any of the eight groups mentioned in the Surat Al-Tawbah – the same people eligible to receive general Zakat – and is distributed among the poor and destitute. It ensures that every follower can joyously partake in the celebrations of Eid, the breaking of the fast, alongside Muslims around the world.
The Fitrana payment can be made throughout the holy month of Ramadan and must be fulfilled before the congressional prayers on the morning of Eid-ul-Fitr.
“The Prophet (PBUH) 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 Eid prayer.” – (Bukhari)
The minimum amount payable for Fitrana 2022 is equal to 2kg of the current price of staple food, this is approximately $5 per person. At Indus Hospital & Health Network every bit of your Zakat goes to serving the most vulnerable across Pakistan!
For the Individual
During Ramadan, the act of fasting requires that we abstain from food, water, improper speech, wrongful acts and impure thoughts. A perfect fast calls for utmost discipline which most human beings find difficult to sustain. Fitrana, as an obligatory alms, acts as an atonement for any mistakes we may have made during our fast.
For the Community
Fitrana’s importance is tied with Eid-ul-Fitr. On this joyous day, Muslims worldwide celebrate the completion of Ramadan with three things: an obligatory charity (Fitrana), communal Salah, and a feast. Here Fitrana allows every individual in the community to happily partake in the
latter two activities.
The Fitrana payment has its roots in the second year (2H) after the Holy Prophet’s PBUH migration from Mecca to Madinah which marked the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar. The ruling for Fitrana occurred in Sha’ban, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar.
Those exempted include orphaned children and individuals who cannot meet the minimum amount and/or do not own enough food, water, or shelter to meet their basic needs on Eid day.
The payment of Fitrana (or Zakat-ul-Fitr) is only permitted to any of the eight groups mentioned in the Surat Al-Tawbah, which are:
- Those less fortunate
- Anyone in need
- Those who are permitted to collect Zakat
- Anyone who has refound Islam
- Slaves or those in bondage
- Those who are in debt
- Stranded Travellers