The last call to prayer for Maghrib in the month of Ramadan has rung out. This means that Ramadan has officially left us all. Victory Day is just around the corner, and takbirs (shouts of praise) are echoing throughout the country. This time is the last opportunity for the ummah to pay zakat fitrah. Even though Ramadan is over, Eid night is the best time for all Muslims to pay zakat fitrah. Why is that? Here’s the explanation …
The Best Time to Pay Zakat Fitrah
The night of Eid al-Fitr or the night of Eid al-Fitr 1 Shawwal is the time when part of the month of Ramadan meets part of the month of Shawwal. The scholars agree that this is the obligatory time as well as the best time to pay zakat fitrah.
The majority of scholars are of the opinion that the time for paying zakat fitrah is from the setting of the last sun in the month of Ramadan or at the beginning of the night of Eid al-Fitr. Why? Because that is the time called the time of fitrah.
The determination of the beginning of fitrah begins in the entire holy month of Ramadan and there is no fasting after sunset on the night of Eid al-Fitr, because fasting ends with the setting of the sun.
In the book Qawl al-Jadid, Imam Shafi’i, Aḥmad, Isḥaq, Thawri, and Imam Ḥanbali argue:
“Zakat fitrah is obligatory because of the setting of the sun on the last day of Ramadan, because zakat fitrah is obligatory to purify the fasting person. Meanwhile, fasting ends with the setting of the sun (on Eid night), because that is when it is time to break the Ramadan fast, which is why zakat fitrah is obligatory.”
Apart from the obligatory time, there is also what is called the afdal time or the most important time to pay zakat fitrah. When is that? Namely, after dawn on Eid al-Fitr 1 Shawwal until before Eid prayer is performed.
Abu Ḥanifah and his followers, Imam Layth, Abu Thawr, and Imam Malik, are of the opinion that the main time to pay zakat fitrah is at dawn on Eid al-Fitr. This is because zakat fitrah is an act of worship related to the holy day of Eid al-Fitr, not the night before. For this reason, fasting on 1 Shawwal is also prohibited.
The scholars also agree that the main time for paying zakat fitrah is on Eid al-Fitr, that is, before going to the prayer place for Eid prayer. In the book al-Mughni, this time is termed as mustahab time or recommended time to get more virtue, but it does not mean it is obligatory.
What if I am late in paying zakat fitrah?
Friends, don’t get me wrong. The main time to pay zakat fitrah is before the Eid prayer. This means that if you pay zakat fitrah after the Eid prayer is over, it is no longer considered zakat fitrah, but is counted as regular almsgiving.
Although there is a best time to pay zakat al-fitr and the main time, which is after sunrise on Eid al-Fitr, it does not mean that you can deliberately delay the payment of zakat al-fitr. Imam An-Nawawi in Al-Majmu’ Syarh Al-Muhadzdzab mentions that delaying the payment of zakat al-fitr without a clear excuse is an act that is not justified in Islam.
If you really forget or don’t have the opportunity to pay zakat fitrah before the Eid prayer, then you are still obliged to pay it as soon as possible after the Eid prayer! However, it would be better if you pay zakat fitrah from the beginning of Ramadan so that there is no risk of missing it. This is because zakat fitrah cleanses our sins in the month of Ramadan. As the hadith reads:
“Zakat al-fitr is a cleansing for the fasting person from idle deeds and foul language, and as food for the poor…”
(Narrated by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and Hakim)
If you are still confused about distributing zakat fitrah in the form of staple food or money, you can read the opinions of scholars about the payment of zakat fitrah in How to Pay Zakat Fitrah in Accordance with Islamic Provisions or in Law on Paying Zakat Fitrah with Money According to the Scholars. And if you have decided to pay zakat fitrah with money, you can find information about the amount at Amount of Zakat Fitrah 2025 Complete with Calculation Examples.
Come on, don’t miss the best time to pay zakat fitrah on the night of Eid al-Fitr! If you are worried or have difficulty distributing zakat fitrah to those in need, you can pay zakat fitrah through Dompet Dhuafa at digital.dompetdhuafa.org/zakat/fitrah or through the Dompet Dhuafa application which you can download here: iOs | Android. (RQA)
