Circular No.: JMT/049/20 Date: May 16, 2020
22nd Ramadhan 1441
As we approach Eid-ul-Fitr, it becomes obligatory to pay Zakat-al-Fitrah after sunset on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr for distribution to the needy by midday on the Day of Eid.
Enclosed is the Guidelines on Zakat-al-Fitrah prepared by the Islamic Education Department of the World Federation based on the fatwa of our Marja-e-Taqleed Ayatullah Seyed Ali al-Hussaini al-Sistani.
Due to the unprecedented circumstances caused by the Coronavirus pandemic there would be some challenges faced by the members of our community to reach out to pay Zakat-al-Fitrah like in the previous years. Therefore, Jamaats are advised to facilitate and devise a system for collection and advise the community members soonest on how to pay Zakat-al-Fitrah to the Jamaats, and also specifying the monetary value for each item of the staple food such as wheat, rice etc. (Details are in the attached Guidelines).
The Jamaat should as far as possibly disburse the Zakat-al-Fitrah to the needy and deserving people within the required time. However, if circumstance does not permit to disburse Zakat-al-Fitrah within the required time, the following rule can be followed.
Having apportioned the fiṭrah food/value by Eid day, there is no obligation on the distributors (Jamaat) to make it reach to the needy people on the day of Eid. They can distribute the collected fiṭrah whenever they find the appropriate place and people. It is quite evident that unreasonable delay is not justified.
It should be noted that electronic payment of Zakat-al-Fitrah is not permissible by Ayatullah Sistani, hence Jamaats which collect the funds electronically will be required to obtain the wikalat of the members before paying the needy.
We request all our community members to please handover their Zakat al-Fitrah to the Jamaat’s Representatives who are assigned this responsibility by the Jamaat. In this way, the Jamaat will be able to distribute Zakat al-Fitrah properly to the deserving and needy people and families in good time.
Zuhair Jaffer
Hon. Secretary
Download:Zakat-al-Fitrah Guidelines (PDF, 548KB)