Amount of Zakat Fitrah with Money: Below is a complete discussion
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| Nominal Zakat Fitrah with Money (Fanjian Hua-Freepik Image) |
- Ramadan is a holy month that requires Muslims to carry out two obligations that do not exist in other months. Namely fasting and also zakat fitrah. Want to know the amount of zakat fitrah in rupiah? Come on, read the review below until it's finished!
Just a reminder, zakat fitrah has started to be paid from the beginning of Ramadan and must be done at the latest before the Eid al-Fitr prayer.
Nominal Zakat Fitrah with Money
The determined amount of zakat fitrah is 2.5 kilograms or 3.5 liters of staple food. Sourced from the Decree of the Chairman of BAZNAS Number. 07 Last year regarding Zakat Fitrah and Fidyah for the capital city of DKI Greater Jakarta and its surroundings, it was determined that the value of zakat fitrah was equivalent to IDR 45,000/day/person.
Zakat with Rice
On the other hand, for those who decide that they want to give zakat using staple foods, there are guidelines for choosing good rice to use for zakat. A person must pay attention to the age or shelf life of rice according to the category of rice.
White rice has a shelf life of approximately 2 years, while brown rice has a shelf life of 3-6 months. After that, also pay attention to whether there are rice lice or not, the color of the rice, the shape of the rice grains, the moisture of the rice, and the aroma of the rice.
Not only to purify oneself after performing worship in the month of Ramadan, zakat fitrah can also be interpreted as a form of concern for people who are less fortunate, sharing a sense of happiness and victory on holidays that can be felt by everyone, including poor people who are in need.
Law on Paying Zakat Fitrah with Money
Opinion of Permissible Scholars
Some scholars from the Hanafi school of thought and several other scholars allow paying zakat fitrah with money. They argue that zakat fitrah can be adjusted to the needs and benefits of zakat recipients today. They cited several arguments as follows:
The Word of Allah SWT in Surah Ali Imran: 92: "You will never reach [perfect] virtue until you spend some of the wealth you love."Scholars who allow paying zakat fitrah with money are of the opinion that the most beloved asset nowadays is money, not staple food.
The Word of Allah SWT in Surah at-Taubah: 103: "Take zakat from some of their wealth, with that zakat you cleanse and purify them and pray for them."Scholars who allow paying zakat fitrah with money interpret that property here includes money as a commonly used medium of exchange.
Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah: “Rasulullah SAW said: 'No alms is obligatory on a Muslim except zakat'. So he was asked: 'What if he doesn't have anything?' He SAW said: 'So let him work with his own hands and then give charity and benefit himself'. So he was asked again: 'What if he cannot afford it?' He SAW said: 'Then let him help people who are in need and in difficulty'. So he was asked again: 'What if he cannot?' He SAW said: 'So let him do good and refrain from doing evil. It is charity for him'” (HR Bukhari Muslim).
Scholars who allow paying zakat fitrah with money argue that this hadith shows that alms can be given in various forms, not just basic food. They also commented that paying zakat fitrah with money would provide greater benefits for zakat recipients, because they could buy what they needed according to their circumstances and conditions. Not only that, they commented that paying zakat fitrah with money would simplify the process of distributing and managing zakat by zakat amil institutions.
Opinion of Ulama that does not allow it
Most scholars from the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hambali schools of thought do not allow paying zakat fitrah with money. They are of the opinion that zakat fitrah must be given in the form of staple food as was done by the Prophet Muhammad SAW and his companions. They cited several arguments as follows:
Hadith narrated by Abdullah bin Abbas: "Rasulullah SAW required zakat fitrah as a cleansing for those who fast from dirty words and bad deeds and as a provider of food for the poor" (HR Abu Daud).
The Word of Allah SWT in Surah al-Baqarah: 267: “O you who believe, spend (in the way of Allah) a portion of the good results of your efforts and a portion of what We have brought out of the earth for you. And don't choose the bad things and then spend on them, even though you yourself don't want to take them but by narrowing your eyes towards them. And know that Allah is Most Rich, Most Praiseworthy."
Hadith narrated by Abu Said al-Khudri: "During the time of Rasulullah SAW, we paid zakat fitrah amounting to one sha' of food, and at that time our food consisted of dates, wheat, grapes and cheese" (HR Muslim).
Hadith narrated by Ibn Umar: “Rasulullah SAW required zakat fitrah of one sha’ of dates or one sha’ of wheat for Muslims; whether slave or free, male or female, small or large. He SAW ordered it to be carried out before people went out to pray" (HR Bukhari Muslim).
Scholars who do not allow paying zakat fitrah with money are of the opinion that money is not a staple food as defined in these propositions. They also commented that paying zakat fitrah with money would reduce its value and benefits for zakat recipients. Not only that, they are afraid that the money given as zakat fitrah will be misused by zakat recipients or zakat amil institutions.
In conclusion
From the explanation above, it can be concluded that there are differences of opinion among the ulama regarding the law of paying zakat fitrah with money. Most scholars from the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hambali schools of thought do not allow this, because they follow the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and his companions who paid zakat fitrah with staple foods. Some scholars from the Hanafi school of thought and several other scholars allow this, because they prioritize the welfare of zakat recipients at this time who need money more than basic food.
We live in a modern era, you can even find out "How to Pay Zakat Fitrah Online at BAZNAS" which is simple and practical, so there is no excuse for not paying zakat!