The Obligation
Who must pay:
- Every Muslim who has food in excess of their daily need on the day of Eid
- For oneself AND every dependent (wife, children, servants in one’s care in some classical views)
- Including newborns: if a child is born before Fajr on Eid al-Fitr, the father pays sadaqat al-fitr for that child too
What is paid: The Prophet specified sa’ (a volume measure, approximately 2-3 kg) of:
- Dates
- Barley
- Raisins
- Dried cheese (aqt)
- Wheat — in some narrations
The cash equivalent: Most contemporary scholars permit paying the cash value of one sa’ of staple food instead of the actual food — the Hanafi madhab explicitly permits money; other madhabs differ but many contemporary scholars allow it for practical reasons.
The Amount and Timing
Amount: One sa’ of food per person. One sa’ = approximately 2.5 kg (or the cash equivalent in the local economy)
Timing — this is critical:
| Timing | Ruling |
|---|---|
| Before the Eid prayer | Accepted as sadaqat al-fitr |
| After Eid prayer | Counts as regular sadaqah only (Abu Dawud hadith) |
| One or two days before Eid | Permissible (Ibn ‘Umar did this) |
| During Ramadan | Permissible per Hanafi; other madhabs differ |
The Prophet (SAW) commanded: “Give it before the people go out for the prayer [of Eid].” (Bukhari)
Who Receives It
Sadaqat al-fitr goes to the same eight categories as regular zakat (Quran 9:60). However, scholars emphasize the poor and needy (fuqara’ and masakin) who would benefit from food on Eid specifically — the social purpose of ensuring the needy can participate in Eid’s joy is central.
The Dual Purpose
Purification of Ramadan’s fast: Any shortcomings in the fast — vain speech, arguments, inattention — are symbolically purified through this charity. The hadith’s phrase “tahara lil-sa’im” (purification for the fasting person) makes it analogous to an expiation.
Food for the poor on Eid: The poor should not be begging on the day of Eid. Every Muslim who can afford it ensures that their neighbors have enough to celebrate — the communal solidarity of Eid is materially enacted through sadaqat al-fitr.
See also: Zakat And Khums, Fiqh Overview, Fiqh Madhabs, Maqasid Al Shariah, Sadaqa Jariya, Understanding Dua