Cleric advises Muslims to give Zakat-al-fitr to poor, needy

The Chief Imam of Area 10 Garki Jumma’at Mosque Sheikh Yahya Al-Yolawi, says the poor and the needy are the most deserving category of people that should be given the Zakat-al-fitr or arms.
Al-Yolawi, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, said that zakat-al-Ffitr was an obligatory charity on every Muslim at the end of the month of Ramadan.
He said that zakat-al-fitr was to be given to the same eight categories or people as in the other types of zakat.
“Some scholars say that the poor and the needy are the most deserving since Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – as it has the purpose of providing food for the needy
“The Prophet enjoined the payment of one Sa’a of dates or one Sa’a of barley as zakat al-fitr on every Muslim, young and old, male and female, free and slave.
“The purpose of zakat al-fitr is to purify the one who has fasted from any type of indecent act or speech he might have committed while fasting. It also helps the poor and needy,” Al-Yolawi said.
The cleric said that the material of the zakat could be either dates, barley, wheat, rice, corn or similar items considered as basic foods.
“Abu Saeed said we used to give zakat-al-fitr on behalf of every child, aged person, free man or slave during the lifetime of the Messanger of Allah, peace be upon him.’’
He said that Zakat-al-fitr had to be given to the needy either one or two days before Eid-al-fitr or the day of Eid before the prayer.
He said that if zakat-al-fitr was paid after the Eid prayer, it would only be considered as normal charity.
“The Prophet said if he pays Zakat al-Fitr before the Eid prayer, it is considered an accepted zakat, if he pays it after the Eid prayer, it is considered an ordinary charity,” he said. (NAN)