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Sadaqat al-Fitr (Fitra) — the Charity at the End of Ramadan

صدقة الفطر
3 min read · 538 words

Sadaqat al-fitr, often simply called fitra, is the obligatory charity given at the close of the month of Ramadan, before the Eid al-Fitr prayer. It is paid on behalf of every member of the household — yourself, your spouse, your children and any dependants in your care — as a measure of a staple food (or, by long-standing practice, its monetary value). Its twofold purpose is well established: it purifies and completes the believer's fast, making good any shortfall or idle talk during Ramadan, and it ensures that the poor among the community are fed and able to share in the joy of Eid. In Dawoodi Bohra practice the fitra is given through the establishment of the Dai al-Mutlaq (TUS), so that it is collected and distributed correctly and reaches those entitled to it. The amount per person and the exact cut-off time are set and announced each year, so the practical step for every household is simple — confirm the current amount and the deadline with your aamil saheb, then pay before the Eid namaz.

What Fitra Is and Why It Is Given

Sadaqat al-fitr is a charity tied to the body of the believer, not to wealth, which is why it is due from rich and poor alike who have the means for it, and why it is paid for each person in the household rather than calculated as a percentage of savings (that is zakat, a separate obligation). The head of the household pays on behalf of everyone under his care — himself, his wife, his children, and any dependants whose food and lodging he provides.

The purpose is beautifully twofold. First, it is a purification of the fast: it covers any lapse, distraction or idle speech that crept into the month, completing what the fasting began. Second, it is a means of feeding the needy at exactly the moment of celebration, so that no one in the community faces the morning of Eid hungry. The Quran praises those who give of what they love and reminds us that purity of self comes through giving (see 92:18 and the general command to charity).

How and When It Is Paid — the Bohra Way

In Dawoodi Bohra practice, fitra is given through the establishment of the Dai al-Mutlaq (TUS). Rather than each family handing food directly to a recipient, the community channels the fitra through the Dai’s establishment, which ensures it is gathered in the correct measure and distributed to those genuinely entitled. This is the practical, trusted method for Mumineen.

The traditional measure is a fixed quantity of staple food (such as grain), given per person; by long practice this is most often paid as its monetary value. The amount per head and the deadline are announced each year, so they should not be guessed.

Practical steps:

  1. Count the household — include yourself, spouse, children and dependants.
  2. Confirm the current per-person amount for this year with your aamil saheb.
  3. Pay before the Eid al-Fitr namaz — fitra is meant to reach the poor in time for Eid, so paying late loses much of its purpose.
  4. Give through the proper channel — the Dai’s establishment, as directed locally.

Timing, Care, and Confirming the Details

The settled rule is that fitra is paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer. It is good to set it aside early in the last days of Ramadan so it is ready, and not to leave it until the morning rush of Eid. If, through genuine oversight, it was not given before the namaz, do not simply drop it — give it as soon as you are able, and ask your aamil saheb how to make it good.

Because the exact amount, the acceptable form (food or value), and the precise cut-off can vary by year and by place, do not rely on memory or on what a neighbour paid last year. This guide is a study aid; the authoritative method is the community Mansak, and the binding details for your locality come from your aamil saheb. Confirm the current figure and deadline with him, give for every soul in your home, and let your fitra both complete your fast and bring Eid to the poor.

See also: Zakat Nisab And Calculation, Fiqh Al Zakat, How To Pray Eid, Ramadan Guide

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