Why is it important to donate your Fitranah

1. Why is it Important to Donate your Fitranah? The poverty is the extreme pain of the human. The pathetic part is that society increases this pain. The more a person is poor, the worse they will be treated. We almost every day see it happening around us. But no one has any right to make the poor spend an underprivileged life. Islam teaches that every Muslim is the brother of the other Muslim. That means we should truly care about our Muslim brothers regardless of their financial status. If they’re in need or are poor, we should help them. There are many ways to help the poor, and Fitranah (financial help) is one of them. It is compulsory to donate your Fitranah to poor people during the holy month of Ramadan, Islam says. In this article, we’ll discuss everything about Fitranah along with its importance. What is Fitranah? First, let’s have a glance at its definition. There are many other names for Fitranah, such as Zakat-ul-Fitr and Fitrana. It’s a charitable donation that Muslims are obliged to give to destitute people during Ramadan or before the Eid-ul-Fitr prayer. But keep in mind that it should not be given to non-Muslims. The right time to donate Here is a Hadith describing when you should donate your Fitranah.

2. Ibn `Abbas (R.A) says: “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordained Zakat ul Fitr [Fitrana] to purify the fasting person from indecent words or actions and to provide food for the needy. It is accepted as Zakat for the person who gives it before the Eid prayer; but it is a mere Sadaqah for the one who gives it after the prayer.” (Source: Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah) That means you must give Fitrana before the Eid prayer. Most scholars say that as the moon of the Shawwal (Islamic month after Ramadan) appears, obliged persons should donate it then. But you can give in the last Ashra (last 10 days) or even during Ramadan. This way, the poor people could easily buy their essentials to enjoy the Eid occasion. Who should donate Zakat-ul-Fitr? Every person who has enough wealth more than their basic needs will pay Zakat-ul-Fitr. Now, if there is one head of the family and five members are dependents, he will pay on behalf of each of the five. Fitrana is due on everyone, whether it’s a child, adult, old, man, or woman. That said, if a child takes birth on the last day of Ramadan or before the sunrise of the 1st Shawwal, his/her breadwinner should pay Zakat-ul-Fitr for that child. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: Muslims are required to give Zakat al-Fitr for themselves as well as for every individual in their home, including children and newborns. (Source Sahih al-Bukhari – 1510, Sahih Muslim – 984) Why is it important to donate Fitrana? Here are the key reasons to pay Fitrana: 1.To fulfill Religious Obligation This is the first major reason highlighting the importance of Zakat-ul-Fitr. Just because it is a compulsory act in Islam so, Muslims have to follow it. By donating it, you obey the commands of Allah, which strengthens your faith. 2. This charity donation is specifically to help those who are less fortunate. With your help, they will buy their necessities for the Eid occasion. Instead of feeling sad on this special occasion, they feel happy, just like the rest who have enough resources. The beautiful thing is that poor families can also cook different meals with your help and enjoy the festivities. To help the Needy people 3. Allah (SWT) loves the ones who are down to earth and maintain equality on HIS earth. So, to create equality, we should make people happy on Eid just like we are. And this requires their financial help. That’s why you have to donate your Fitranah to make everyone happy at the same level. Also, this will create solidarity and sympathy within the Muslim community. To ensure equality

3. 4. As a Muslim, it's our duty to thank Allah for everything we’re blessed with. And nothing is better than the holy month of Ramadan. It’s just because the month showers the blessings via fasting. So, giving Zakat-ul-Fitr also means expressing gratitude to Allah for living this month being a Muslim. To express gratitude 5. The worst greed is wealth. Many people opt for wrongdoings just to satisfy their hunger for wealth. To avoid such doings, Islam gives a solution of helping the poor from what you have. So, Fitrana will purify your wealth from any negative influences or impurities. Also, it is considered to atone for any errors the individual has committed during this holy month. How much to pay for Zakat-ul-Fitr? Well, let’s first look at a Hadith to get a solid start. To purify wealth and atone Allah’s Apostle 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 ‘Id (Eid) prayer.” (From - Sahih Bukhari Vol.002, Book 025, Hadith 579) To make you clear, one Sa’ is equal to roughly 2 Kg. That means people used to give 2 Kg of dates or barley in the beginning. However, with the increasing inflation rates, scholars have figured out that we should give the amount (area-wise) because food isn’t enough to fulfil other needs. The amount will be equal to the specific Kg of the food item. That’s why, every year, the government updates different Kg(s) for different foods. For example, the Zakat-al-Fitr calculator of the year 2024 is based on: •Wheat = 2Kg •Barley = 4Kg •Date = 4kg •Raisins = 4kg Per person Fitrana price Now, if you want to know how much Fitrana will be as a single member, let’s take this example. Suppose you’re 5 members of the family, including you, and you want to donate your Fitranah for dates. Now, the rough rate of the dates is 600 Pkr per Kg. The total 4Kg will be multiplied by 600, and that becomes 2400 Pkr or 8$. Per person, it would be 8$ and for 5 five members, it would be 12,000 or 42$.

4. The hierarchy of the deserving people for Zakat-ul-Fitr When looking for needy people, you should follow this hierarchy to give Fitrana: •Relatives •Poor neighbors •The needy you’re familiar with •Zakat collector You can also donate your Fitranaonline to Zakat collectors. These are the organizations that go to different countries to help other Muslim brothers. Conclusion In conclusion, Fitrana is a charitable donation that is due on every Muslim who has more wealth than their basic needs. If there is just one breadwinner, he/she will give Fitrana on behalf of the rest of the members of the family. The right time to donate your Fitranah is during Ramadan or before the Eid prayer. But remember, it shouldn’t be given to non-Muslims. Well, when it comes to the importance of giving Zakat-ul-Fitr, there are many reasons, such as fulfilling a religious obligation, helping needy people, expressing gratitude, purifying wealth and heart, and ensuring equality.