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Zakat FAQ
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إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ
وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ [٩:٦٠]
Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. Suratul Taubah [9] Ayah 60
About this ayatul karimah, from “TafsirJalalayn” of Imams Jalaluddin Suyuti Rahimuhullah and Jalaluddin Mahalli Rahimuhullah we read;
“The voluntary almsgivings, the alms to be dispensed, are only for the poor, who cannot find anything to suffice them in the least, and the needy, who cannot find anything to suffice them, and those who work with them, that is, [with] these alms, in other words, the one who collects [them], the one who takes the oaths [from those who claim them], the slave to be manumitted by contract, as well as the tax-summoner; and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, so that they might become Muslims, or that Islam might be firmly established, or that their peers might become Muslims, or that they might defend Muslims, all of whom are [classed according to different] categories. According to al-Shāfi‘ī, may God be pleased with him, the first and the last [of these categories] are no longer given [of the alms-tax] today, because of the [established] power of Islam; in contrast, the other two [categories] are given [of the alms-tax], according to the sounder [opinion]; and for, the manumission of, slaves, that is, [for] slaves to be manumitted by contract, and for the debtors, those in debt, if they have taken out a debt without intending thereby an act of disobedience, or those who have repented but have nothing with which to fulfil [the penalty of expiation], or to set things right between people, even if they be wealthy; and, for the way of God, that is, [for] those who are engaged in the struggle, of those for whom there is no [share of the] booty (fay’), even if they be wealthy; and for the traveller, the one cut off [from resources] during his journey — a duty imposed by God (farīdatan, ‘a duty’, is in the accusative because of an implied verb [sc. faradahā, ‘which He has imposed’]). And God is Knower, of His creatures, Wise, in His actions.
Some of the Baraka of the first 10 days of Shahrul Ramadhan
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Alhamdullilah we would like to thank our donors who have helped feed our local community by donating food and funds. Thus far we have been able to deliver food packages daily and coordinate delivering food for iftar meals in our lower income areas that really need support.
Three large pallets of food for suhoor and iftar donated by a generous brother
and more than 150 Ramadhan baskets packaged by loving sisters delivered in these first ten days.
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Families are taking advantage of this blessed month with their generous donations!
Some of the donations were from families coming together to make food baskets and boxes for our local families in need of food assistance.
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Your Lillahi donations are definitely making a difference. There are still many opportunities available to feed others for iftar or food packages to individual families. Remember our Marhoom who have left us behind and taught us our deen or saw to it that we have a solid foundation during this blessed month. Donate on their behalf and maximize the baraka. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor an iftar or donate food. Jazak Allah khair.
Fidya and Misconceptions Surrounding It
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Fidya is the act of feeding the indigent in lieu of missed fasts during the blessed Month of Ramadhan. A common misconceptions is that fidya payments for missed days is all one needs to do with no need for qadhaa (making up) of missed fasts after Ramadhan. Fasts may be missed for various reasons. This may be due either to common illnesses, long term illnesses or days missed by mothers who breastfeed their infants, and ladies during their monthly difficult days.
Days missed must be made up before the advent of the next Ramadhan. As a Fardh (obligatory) act of worship, fasting during Shahrul Ramadhan takes precedence over observing missed fasts from the previous year. One stops making Qadhaa during Ramadhan and fasts with intentions for the current year. The command to pay fiyda is for the Shaykh al Faani. The Shaykh al Faani is the individual who is unable to fast due to advanced old age. Fasting itself would cause such an individual to become ill and possibly lead to death. This also applies to the youth under similar circumstances.
Allah ﷻ states:
وَعَلَی الَّذِیۡنَ یُطِیۡقُوۡنَہٗ فِدْیَۃٌ طَعَامُ مِسْکِیۡنٍؕ
Translation: “For those who can fast only with extreme difficulty, there is a way to compensate— feed a needy person.”
[Surah al-Baqarah: 184]
If this Ramadan arrives, then one must make up for previously missed fasts after Ramadhan. It is stated in the reliable Hanafi work, al-Durr al-Mukhtar:
وَلَوْ جَاءَ رَمَضَانُ الثَّانِي قُدِّمَ الْأَدَاءُ عَلَى الْقَضَاءِ وَلَا فِدْيَةَ
Translation: “If the next Ramadan arrives, its fasts will take precedence over the missed fasts (of the previous Ramadan) and there is no fidya in lieu of the latter.”
[al-Durr al-Mukhtar, vol. 3, pg. 465]
According to Hanafi Fiqh, Fidya for Ramadhan is only paid by “a person who is not able to fast at all.” This entails that the expiatory payment only applies for people whom, due to health considerations:
- Cannot fast in Ramadan and
- Cannot make up for the missed fasts at any other time of the year and
- Are not expected to ever regain the ability to make up for the missed fasts
All three conditions must be fulfilled. Otherwise one does not pay Fidya payments but has to perform the missing fasts.
This entails that:
- Someone who misses out on a few days of fasting due to a temporary illness does not pay Fidya.
- Someone who accidentally or deliberately broke the fast does not pay Fidya.
- Someone who is unable to fast this year due to surgery or the like, and is expected to recover in time fast next year does not pay Fidya.
- Someone who is unable to fast during the summer-months (long days) but can perform the make-up fasts in the winter months (shorter days) does not pay any Fidya.
- If Fidya is given then it is based on the condition that the individual young or old, will never recover from illness up to the time of death. If someone was to regain the ability to fast after having paid then the Fidya will be considered sadaqa and qadha of the missed fasts has to be made instead.
Thus, according to Hanafi Fiqh
- There is no Fidya for a woman with child, or nursing woman who does not fast during Ramadan. She performs Qadha (make-up) fasts.
- There is no Fidya if one was to delay making-up missed fasts for the current Ramadan until the next Ramadan entered.
- A young person due to health considerations that is unable to fast and is not expected to regain the ability to fast, can pay Fidya.The amount is the same as for an old person.
- Fidya is feeding one person two full meals a day or two people one full meal for each day missed.
- The person receiving the meal should be fed with dignity and fed the same types and quality of food as the one paying fidya eats.
- If there is difficulty preparing the meals, the cost of the meals may also be handed over to the needy individual.
And Allahu ta 'ala knows best.
On the Uncovering of the Seventh Veil Al Sawm
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The Uncovering of the Seventh Veil: Fasting (al-sawm)
From the Persian Classic "Kashf al Mahjub"
of Data Ganj Baksh, Sayyidinaa 'Ali ibn 'Uthman Al Jullabi Al Hujwiri
Translated by
Lieutenant Colonel (R) Muhammad Ashraf Javed
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