Zakat Al-Fitr

It Is A Good Deed That Never Ends

What is Zakat Al-Fitr?

Let’s begin with the terminology itself. We already learned that the Arabic word Zakat (زكاة) means growth and purification. Al fitr comes from the word إفطار or “breaking the fast” because it marks the breaking of the long fast at the end of the month of Ramadan. It is also considered a moment of celebration since it is offered on the morning of Eid day.

How is Zakat al mal calculated?

According to the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, the amount of zakat that you owe on your excess wealth is 2.5%. Whatever amount you have in your possession for a full year, you will need to give zakat from that entire amount. 

Example: 

If you had $5000 for the first time in March of 2019, then you owned a nisab. You will need to mark your calendar for March next year to pay zakat. If your money fluctuated throughout the year like it went up to 8k and then down to 6k and continued to go up and down it should be fine. You don’t have to worry about it. As long as it does not go below the nisab, by the end of the zakat year i.e. March 2020, then you will need to calculate your money and pay 2.5%. 

For this example let’s assume that in March 2020 the money you had in your possession was $10000. 2.5% of that is $250. This is how much zakat you owe. It does not matter which month of the zakat calendar year you earned that money. As long as it was within the zakat year then you add it to the entire zakatable amount. So for instance if your money remained at $5000 from March 2019 through January 2020 and then you earned another $5000 in February 2020, by March you pay zakat on the entire amount which is the $10000 not just the first $5000. And if you had $20000 for the most of the year, then a month right before zakat was due you lost $15000, then you owe zakat on the remaining amount if it was still above the nisab, i.e. the remaining $5000 only.

For more info you can Ask the Imam for Zakat through our services page