Sunday, July 28, 2013

Dought & clear - Is it permissible to givezakaat al-fitr two years in advance by analogy with the zakaah on one’s wealth?

Is it permissible to give zakaat al-fitr two years in advance by
analogy with giving zakaah of one's wealth two years in advance?
Praise be to Allah.
The time when zakaat al-fitr becomes obligatory begins at sunset on
the last day of Ramadan. The Sunnah indicates that it is permissible
to give it one or two days before the day of Eid. See the answer to
question no. 37636
The Hanafis are of the view that an analogy may be drawn between
zakaah of one's wealth and zakaat al-fitr, so they say that it is
permissible to bring it forward.
As-Sarkhasi said inal-Mabsoot, 3/110: The correct view in our opinion
is that bringing it (zakaat al-fitr) forwardby one or two years is
permissible. End quote.
However, what appears to be the case is that bringing it forward ahead
of the time prescribed in sharee'ah is not permissible.
There are two significant differences between zakaat al-fitr and
zakaah on one's wealth:
1.
The reason for zakaat al-fitr becoming obligatory is sunset on the
last day of Ramadan, whereas the reason for zakaah on one's wealth
becoming obligatory is possession of the nisaab (minimum threshold of
wealth at which zakaah becomes obligatory). Bringing something forward
and doing it before the reason for it comes into effect is not
permissible. Hence if a person hastens to pay zakaah on his wealth
before he has possessionof the nisaab, that is not acceptable.
Ash-Shiraazi said inal-Muhadhdhab: It is notvalid to pay it in
advancebefore the month of Ramadan, because that is bringing it
forward and doing it before the two reasons for it [i.e., fasting and
sunset on the last day of Ramadan]. That is like paying zakaah on
one's wealth before one has acquired the nisaab and one full (hijri)
year has passed since that date. End quote.
See:Manzoomat Usool al-Fiqh wa Qawaa'idihiby Ibn 'Uthaymeen, p. 143
2.
The purpose behind zakaat al-fitr is make thepoor independent of means
on the day of Eid, but this purpose is not met if zakaat al-fitr is
brought forward. That isunlike zakaah on one's wealth, the purpose of
which is to make the poor independent of means in general terms and is
not limited to a specific time.
There is also a third way in which we may differentiate between them,
which is: zakaat al-fitr is a small amount, so it does not serve a
great purpose for the poor person if it is brought forward, unlike
zakaah on one's wealth.
And Allah knows best.

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