Fatwaa ID: 1078

Question:
Assalamualaikum
Does zakat has to be paid before eid-ul-fitr prayer?
Or does it depend on the cycle (start date and end date)?

Answer:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.

It is not clear whether you are referring to zakaah or Sadaqatul Fitr. We will answer in regards to both.

1. Zakaah has nothing to do with Ramadhan. Zakaah must be assessed and paid on one’s annual zakaah date. One’s zakaah date is the first time he owned the minimum nisaab. In most cases, due to unawareness or negligence, people do not recall their actual zakaah date and thus choose a date. This chosen date often happens to be Ramadhan due to the virtues of charity therein. If one knows his zakaah date, then he must adhere to that. He may not change it around, although he may pay in advance and thereafter assess his wealth on his zakaah date.
2. Sadaqatul Fitr, also known as Zakaatul Fitr, should be paid before Salaatul ‘Eid. “Paid” refers to reaching the hands of the eligible recipients before Salaatul ‘Eid. Giving it to the masjid is not sufficient if they are distributing it afterwards.

And Allaah Ta’aala knows best.
Mufti Muajul I. Chowdhury
Darul Iftaa New York
https://askthemufti.us/

وصل اللهم وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى ءاله وصحبه أجمعين

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