Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No. (259): "The Amount of Zakat-ul-Fitr for the Year 1439"

Date Added : 24-05-2018

Resolution No. (259)(12/2018) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

"The Amount of Zakat-ul-Fitr for the Year 1439"

Date: 8/Ramadan/1439 AH, corresponding to 24/5/2018 AD.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds; and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

On the above date, the Board reviewed the amount of Zakat-ul-Fitrfor the year (1439 AH), corresponding to (24/5/2018), and after deliberations it decided the following:

Zakat-ul-Fitr is a religious obligation and a manifestation of social solidarity which characterizesour tolerant Sharia; particularly in the blessed month of Ramadan; the month of good deeds and kindness. Therefore, it is an obligation on every Muslim who owns extra provisions beyond his need as well as the need of everyone in his family on the day and night of Ed-ul-Fitr. In other words, one father should pay for himself and for whom he supports, even for his baby who is born before the sunset of the last day of Ramadan as well as his poor parents whom he supports.

Ibn `Umar narrated: "Allah's Messenger (PBUH) made it incumbent on all the slave or free Muslims, male or female, to pay one Sa' of dates or barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr." {Related by Bukhari}.

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (RAA) narrated: “We used to offer it (Zakat-ul-fitr) during the lifetime of the Prophet as one sa’ of food or one sa' of dates, or one sa' of barley or one sa' of raisins’’ {Agreed upon}.

Therefore, the amount of Zakat-ul-Fitr is one Sa` of food. {Sa` equals 2.5 Kgs.}. In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the common food is wheat. Therefore, Zakat-ul-Fitr is (2.5 Kgs.) of wheat on every person. It is also permissible to give one Sa` of rice since it is common food. Moreover, it is permissible to give thevalue of this amount in cash.

The Board estimates the value of the Sa` from the common food in Jordan as (1800 F.), and whoever wishes to pay more shall have a greater reward from Allah, The Almighty.

The preferred time for giving Zakat-ul-Fitr is between the sunset of the last day of Ramadan and the E`ed prayer. It is also permissible to give it from the beginning of Ramadan.

Nowadays, it is the duty of every Muslimto observe this ritual (Zakat-ul-Fitr) forit purifies the soul from any indecent act. Therefore, it must be given on behalf of the child, who isn`t obliged to fast, as well as the sick who is unable to fast. Ibn ’Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) enjoined Zakat-ul-fitr on the one who fasts (i.e. fasted during the month of Ramadan) to purify him from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy “ {Abu Dawood}. Giving it to the poor makes them self-sufficient on the day of E`ed. Therefore, a Muslim should give it willingly and kindly.

The Board estimates the ransom (Saum Fidyah) for breaking fastby those unable to fast due to old age or sickness (people exempted from fasting), as (1 JD at the minimum) for each missed day, and whoever wishes to give more shall receive a greater reward from Allah, The Almighty.

We pray that Allah, The Almighty, Accepts our acts of devotion and Erases our sins. And Allah Knows Best.

The Iftaa` Board (2017)

Chairman: Dr Mohammad Al-Khalayleh, Grand Mufti of Jordan

Sheikh Abdulkareem Khasawneh/ Member

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/Member

Prof.Abdulnaser Abulbasal/Member

Dr.Moh.Khair Al-Esa/ Member

Dr. Majid Drawsheh/Member

Sheikh Sa`eid Hijawi/Member           

Judge Khalid Woraikat/Member

Dr. Mohammad al-Zou`bi/Member   

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the wisdom behind the legislation of fasting?

Fasting is a divine school from which the believer learns much and trains in virtues that may be needed in life. Among these virtues is patience, as it is the month of patience. Fasting also teaches honesty and consciousness of Allah in both private and public, for there is no observer over the fasting person in abstaining from lawful pleasures except Allah alone.
Fasting strengthens willpower, sharpens determination, and nurtures mercy and compassion among the servants of Allah. It is a struggle against the self, a restraint of desires, a purification of the soul, and a cultivation of goodness.
The Prophetﷺ said: "Allah, the Almighty, said: ‘Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except for fasting; it is for Me, and I shall reward for it. Fasting is a shield. So when one of you is fasting on a day, let him not engage in obscene speech or raise his voice in anger. If someone insults him or fights him, let him say: I am a fasting person. By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the breath of the fasting person is more pleasant to Allah than the fragrance of musk.’" [Bukhari and Muslim]

What is the ruling on swimming while fasting?

Swimming while fasting is disliked (makruh) due to the risk of water entering the body cavity (jauf) through the nose, ears, or mouth, which would break the fast.
Ramadan is a month of tasbeeh (glorifying Allah), not Sibaha (swimming).

Does the 'aqīqah count as valid if it is slaughtered before the seventh day from the birth?

 

 
 
 
 
 

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The time during which it becomes permissible to slaughter the 'aqīqah begins from the moment the newborn is fully delivered from its mother's womb.
If the animal is slaughtered prior to the birth, it does not count as an 'aqīqah — it is simply considered an ordinary sheep slaughtered for its meat.
And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) described with specific attributes and authorizing an agent to slaughter them?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) that are described with specific attributes is permissible. This falls under the category of a salam sale (forward sale) if conducted using the terminology of salam, and under the category of a regular sale if not using the terminology of salam.
 
As for authorizing the seller to slaughter the sacrificial animal, the basic principle is that it is permissible, because the agent (wakil) stands in the place of the principal (muwakkil) in achieving his objective. This is a contract that the principal (the buyer) is entitled to perform himself, so authorizing another (the seller) to do so on his behalf is valid.
 
However, it is a condition for authorization to slaughter that the intention (niyyah) is present either at the time of slaughter or at the time of handing over the sacrificial animal to the agent. The basic principle is that the sacrificial animal must be specifically designated, as it is an act of worship. It is not required to designate it at the time of slaughter; rather, it is valid to do so before that.
 
It is permissible for the principal either to delegate the intention to the agent or to formulate it himself when authorizing the agent to slaughter. However, the sacrificial animal must be designated, even if at the time of slaughter, by the agent.
 
It is obligatory to designate the sacrificial animals so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own specific animal. Therefore, charitable organizations and companies must take this into consideration and establish a specific mechanism that ensures no mixing of sacrificial animals occurs, so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own designated animal. And Allah Almighty knows best.