3a] Zakaah al-Fitr By Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips Islamic Studies Vol. 1

3a]
Zakaah al-Fitr
By Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Islamic Studies Vol. 1
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1. MEANING
Zakaah al-Fitr is often referred to as Sadaqah al-Fitr. The word Fitr
means the same as Iftaar, breaking a fast and it comes from the same
root word as Futoor which means breakfast. Thus, Islamically, Zakaah
al-Fitr is the name given to charity which is distributedat the end of
the fast of Ramadaan.
2. CLASSIFICATION
Sadaqah al-Fitr is a duty which is Waajib on every Muslim, whether
male or female, minor or adult as long as he/she has the means to do
so.
The proof that this form ofcharity is compulsory can be found in the
Sunnah whereby Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) made Zakaah al-Fitr compulsory on every slave,
freeman, male,female, young and old among the Muslims; one Saa` of
dried dates or one Saa` of barely. [collected by Bukhaaree -
Arabic/English, vol. 2, p. 339, no. 579]
The head of the householdmay pay the required amount for the other
members. Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree said, "On behalfof our young and old,
free men and slaves, we used to take out during Allaah's Messenger's
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) lifetime one Saa` of grain, cheese or
raisins". [collected by Muslim - English transl. vol.2, p. 469, no.
2155]
3. SIGNIFICANCE
The significant role played by Zakaah in the circulation of wealth
within the Islamic society is also played by the Sadaqah al-Fitr.
However, in the case of Sadaqah al-Fitr, each individual is required
to calculate how much charity is due from himself and his dependents
and go into the community in order to find those who deserve such
charity. Thus, Sadaqah al-Fitr plays a very important role in the
development of the bonds of community. The rich areobliged to come in
direct contact with the poor, and the poor are put in contactwith the
extremely poor. This contact between the various levels of society
helps to build real bonds of brotherhood and love within the Islamic
community and trains those who have, to be generous to those who do
not have.
4. PURPOSE
The main purpose of Zakaah al-Fitr is to providethose who fasted with
the means of making up for their errors during the month of fasting.
Zakaah al-Fitr also provides the poor with a means with which they can
celebrate the festival of breaking thefast (`Eed al-Fitr) along with
the rest of the Muslims.
Ibn Abbaas reported, "The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) made
Zakaah al-Fitr compulsory so that those who fasted may be purified of
their idle deeds and shameful talk (committed during Ramadaan) and so
that thepoor may be fed. Whoevergives it before Salaah will have it
accepted as Zakaah,while he who gives it afterthe Salaah has given
Sadaqah." [collected by Abu Dawood - Eng. transl. vol. 2, p. 421, no.
1605 - rated Saheeh by Shaikh Naser Al-Albanee]
Hence, the goal of Sadaqahal-Fitr is the spiritual development of the
Believers. By making them give up some of their wealth, the believers
are taught the higher moral characteristics of generosity, compassion
(sympathy for the unfortunate), gratitude to God and the
righteousness.But, since Islaam does not neglect man's material need,
part of the goal of Zakaah al-Fitr is the economic well-being of the
poorer members of society.
5. CONDITIONS
Zakaah al-Fitr is only Waajib for a particular period of time. If one
misses the time period without a good reason, he has sinned and can
not make it up. This form of charity becomes obligatory from sunset on
the last day of fasting and remains obligatory until the beginning of
Salaah al-'Eed' (i.e. shortly after sunrise on the following day).
However, it can be paid prior to the above mentioned period, as many
of the Sahaabah (companions of the Prophet(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa
sallam) ) used to pay Sadaqah al-Fitr a couple days before the `Eed.
Naafi reported that the Prophet's companion Ibn `Umar used to give it
to those who would accept it and the people used to give it a day or
two beforethe `Eed. [collected by al-Bukhaaree - Arabic/English, Vol.
2, p.339, no. 579]
Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
order that it (Zakaah al-Fitr) be given before people go to make the
Salaah (al-'Eed).
And Ibn `Abbaas reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa
sallam) said, "Whoever gives it before the Salaah will have it
accepted as Zakaah, while he who gives it after the Salaah (will not,
for it will only be considered as) ordinary charity." Therefore, one
who forgets to pay this Zakaah al-Fitr on time should do so as soon as
possible even though it will not be counted as Zakaah al-Fitr. ...

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2a] Dividing Qiyaam al-layl into two parts during the last ten days of Ramadan

2a]
The qiyaam of Ramadaan is called Taraweeh because they used to have a
rest (yastareehoona) after every four rak'ahs because they used to
make the prayers lengthy.The reason why some people object to that is
that it is contrary to what is customary among the people of their
countries and most of the people nowadays; and because ofignorance of
the Sunnah and reports and of the practice of the Sahaabah, Taabi'oon
and the imams of Islam; and because of what some people think, that
our prayer during thelast ten days is a kind of salat al-ta'qeeb which
was regarded as makroohby some scholars, but thatis not in fact the
case, because ta'qeeb is a voluntary prayer offered in congregation
after finishing Taraweeh and Witr.
This is how all the fuqaha'defined ta'qeeb, as a voluntary prayer
offered in congregation after finishing Witr immediately after
Taraweeh. From these words it is clear that prayer offered in
congregation before Witr is not ta'qeeb. End quote.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan said in Ithaaf Ahl al-Eemaan bi Majaalis
Shahr Ramadaan:
In the last ten days of Ramadan, the Muslims increase their efforts in
worship, following the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) and seeking Laylat al-Qadr which is better than a
thousand months. Those who pray twenty-three rak'ahs at the beginning
of the month break it up during the last ten days, so they pray ten
rak'ahs at the beginning of the night, calling it Taraweeh, and they
pray ten at the end of the night, making them lengthy, and following
it with three rak'ahs of Witr, which they call qiyaam. This is a
variation in naming only. In fact all of it may be called Taraweeh or
it maybe called qiyaam. As for those who pray eleven or thirteen
rak'ahs at the beginning of the month, they add ten rak'ahs to that
during the last ten days, which they pray at the end of the night,
making it lengthy, makingthe most of the virtue of the last ten days
and increasing their efforts to do good. They have a precedent among
the Sahaabah and others whoprayed twenty-three rak'ahs, as stated
above. Thus they combine the two opinions: the opinionwhich favours
offering thirteen rak'ahs during the first twenty days and the opinion
which favoursoffering twenty-three during the last ten days.

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3] Dividing Qiyaam al-layl into two parts during the last ten days of Ramadan

3]
I hope that you could tell me about the opinions of the scholars with
regard to the ruling on dividing Taraweeh prayers in the last ten days
of Ramadan into two parts: at the beginning of the night and at the
end, as is done in many mosques. Please also mention the evidenceif
possible.
Praise be to Allaah.
What is mustahabb during the nights of Ramadan is to spend them in
qiyaam, prayer and worship, and to single out the last ten nights for
extra worship and striving, seeking forgiveness and mercy and seeking
Laylat al-Qadr which is better than a thousand months.
Moreover, Taraaweeh prayer is regarded as a kind of Qiyaam al-layl
andthey call it Taraweeh because people take brief breaks between
rak'ahs. Hence the matter is broadin scope, and it is permissible for
a person to pray whatever he wants of rak'ahs, at whatever time of the
night he wants.
It says in al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (34/123):
There is no difference of opinion among the fuqaha' with regard to it
being Sunnah to pray during the nights of Ramadan (Qiyaam
al-layl),because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: "Whoever spends the nights of Ramadan in prayer, out of
faith and seeking the reward of Allah, his previous sins will be
forgiven."
The fuqaha' said: Taraweeh is the qiyaam (Qiyaam al-layl) of Ramadan.
Hence it is best to spend most of the night in it, because it is
Qiyaam al-layl. End quote.
What many imams do nowadays -- especially in the last ten days of
Ramadan -- leading the people in Taraweeh prayer immediately after
'Isha', then going back to the mosque in the last part of the night to
pray qiyaam, is something thatis prescribed and it is not forbidden.
There is no reason to suggest it is notallowed. What is required is to
strive hard in the lastten days according to one's ability. If a
person breaks up his night between prayer, resting, sleeping, and
reading Qur'aan, then he has donewell.
Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah Abaabateen said, as is narrated in al-Durar
al-Saniyyah (4/364):
In response to what somepeople do of objecting to the one who prays
more during the last ten days ofRamadan than he usually did in the
first twenty days, on the grounds that this is more than is usual and
is ignorance of the Sunnah and the practice of the Sahaabah, Taabi'een
and imams of Islam,
We say: There are hadeeths from the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) which encourage praying Qiyaam al-layl during
Ramadan, and particularly emphasise it during the last ten days.
Once it becomes clear thatthere is no specific number of rak'ahs for
Taraweeh, and that the time for it according to allscholars is from
after the Sunnah of 'Isha' until the break of dawn, and that spending
the night in worship is a confirmed Sunnah, and that the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) prayed taraweeh for many
nights in congregation, then how can anyone object to the one who
prays more during the last ten nights than he did at the beginning of
the month? So during the last ten days, he prays at the beginning of
the night, as he did at the beginning ofthe month, or a little, or a
lot, without praying Witr, for the sake of those who are weak and want
to limit themselves to that; then after that he does more prayers in
congregation and calls all of it qiyaam or taraweeh.
Perhaps the one who objects to that is confusedby what many of the
fuqaha' say, that it is mustahabb for the imam not to pray more than
one includes than one khatmah (reading of the entire Qur'aan), unless
thepeople behind him prefer to do more than that. The reason they gave
for not doing more than one khatmah is the hardship that may be caused
for the people behind him, not because doing more than that is not
prescribedin sharee'ah. So from theirwording we may conclude that if
people behind him want to do more than one khatmah, that is good, as
was clearly stated in the words of the scholars.
As for what many of the common people say, calling what is done at the
beginning of the nightTaraweeh and the prayersoffered after that
qiyaam, this is what the uneducated people say. Rather all of it is
qiyaam and taraweeh.

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Does the one who startsto pray Taraweeh have to complete it?

If a Muslim starts to pray Taraweeh, does he have to complete it? Or
can he pray as much as he wants and then leave?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is no doubt that Taraweeh is a Sunnah andis naafil; it is the
qiyaam of Ramadan. The same may be said of night prayers, Duha
(forenoon) prayer and the regular Sunnah prayers that are offered
along with the obligatory prayers. All of them are naafil, so he may
do them if he wants or not do them if he wants, but doing them is
better.
If he starts to pray Taraweeh with the imam and wants to leave
beforecompleting it, there is nothing wrong with that, but staying
with the imam until he finishes is better, and it will be recorded for
him as if he spent this night in prayer, because the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever prays qiyaam
with the imam until he finishes, Allah will record for him the qiyaam
of onenight." So if he stays with the imam until he completes it, he
will have attained the virtue of spending the whole night in prayer,
but if he leaves after praying some rak'ahs, there is nothing wrong
with that and no sin, because it is naafil. End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him)

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