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Zakat Al-Fitr or Sadaqat ul-fitr means "the purifying charity of breaking the fast".  It is a prescribed amount of food given by the Muslims during the last few days of   Ramadaan or on the morning of Eid prior to the prayer.

Wisdom of Zakat-ul-Fitr

Zakat-ul-fitr was ordained by the Wise Legislator (subhaanahu wata'aalaa) for two reasons:

a)      to purify those who fasted, cleansing their fast from marring things such as indecent talk and minor sinning,

b)      to feed the poor Muslims so that they have enough provision during the Eid

Ibn 'Abbas reported:

  "The Messenger of Allaah ordained zakat al-fitr to purify the fasting person from indecent words or actions, and to provide food for the needy.  It is accepted as zakah for the person who gives it before the Eid prayer; but it is mere sadaqah for the one who gives it after the prayer."  [Abu Dawud, An-Nasaai, it is judged as hasan (Hilali)]

Ruling

Zakat al-fitr is a fard (obligation) for those capable of giving it.  This is stated clearly in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar :

"Allah's Messenger has ordained zakat al-fitr, in the amount of one sa'aa (four scoops, with the hand cupped together, of an average man) of dates or one sa'aa of barley, for the Muslims - slave or free, male or female, young or old; and he ordered that it be given before the people went out to the Eid prayer."  [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

 The hadith further indicates that it is an obligation for every (capable) Muslim individual, regardless of age or social status.

 The responsibility of giving out zakat-ul-fitr falls upon the head of the household, he should give it on behalf of himself and those under his care: young and old, male and female, free and slave.  Ibn 'Umar said: 

 "Allaah's Messenger ordained sadaqat ul-fitr for those under your custody: young and old, free and slave."  [recorded by Ad-Daraqutni, judged to be hasan (al-Hilali)]

 As for the person who doesn't have the financial ability to give it, he is exempt because of general text in the Qur'an and Sunnah, such as Allaah's (subhaanahu wata'aalaa) saying:

"Allaah does not require from any soul more than its capacity ..."  [Al-Baqarah: 286]

 And the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah:

"When I give you a command, do as much of it as you are capable."  [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

 Some scholars further require that it be given on behalf of a fetus.  However, there is no evidence for this; and the fetus is not considered to be a young person – neither in the language nor the common understanding of people.

Types

 The practice of the Prophet and his companions was to give zakat ul-fitr in the form of food.  Abu Sayeed al-Khudri  narrated: 

"(At the time of the Prophet ), we used to give out zakat-ul-fitr as one sa'a of ta'aam (food), one sa'aa of barley, one sa'aa of dates, one sa'aa of aqit (dried yogurt), or one sa'aa of raisins.  At that time, our food used to be barley, raisins, aqit and dates."  [Al-Bukhari]

 The scholars differ in understanding the 'food' referred to in this report.  From this report, it is easy to conclude that it refers to grains and other types of food which can be measured with a container.  This is confirmed by various reports from the sahabah ( ajma'een).  For example, Ibn 'Abbas said:

 "The sadaqah of Ramadaan is one sa'aa of food.  Thus, he who brings wheat, it will be accepted from him; he who brings barley, it will be accepted from him; he who brings dates, it will be accepted from him; he who brings rye, it will be accepted from him; he who brings raisins, it will be accepted from him..." [Ibn Khuzaymah with an authentic chain (Hilali)]

 The above hadiths further indicate that one may not give it in the form of money; nor may one give it using other types of food, such as meat or butter.  Since it is an act of worship, it must be performed in accordance with the Sunnah.

 However, one may determine the approximate monetary value of the goods that he wants to give, and give that to an individual or organization that he trusts to buy the correct types.  It is important that when it reaches the recipients, it is in a form permissible by the sunnah.

Amount

 The above hadiths indicate that the amount of zakat-al-Fitr is one sa'aa of the various types of food that can be measured.  There is one exception to this: In case of wheat, the Prophet commanded the people to give two mudds, which are equal to half a sa'aa. [Recorded by Tahawi; this was narrated by Sayeed Ibn Musayyib and others among the tabi'een.  It is judged to be a good report ('Abdullaah Bin Yousuf)]

 The sa'aa was a fixed measure of capacity or volume.  It varied from one place to another; but the Prophet standardized it by stating:

"Weights are according to Makkah's weights; and measures are according to al-Madinah's measure."   [Abu Dawud and others from Ibn 'Umar, authentic (Al-Hilali)]

 Thus the amount should be measured according to Al-Madinah's sa'aa, which is still available to this time.  However, this measure is not accessible to most people.  Because of this, many scholars have estimated it approximately to four full handfuls (with the hands put together) of an average man.  [An-Nawai in Al-Majmu']

 This demonstrates that it is wrong to measure zakat-ul-fitr by weight, because weight of one sa'a varies for different materials, however, if the relationship between weight and capacity is determined for a specific material, the weight of one sa'aa of that material may then be used.

Distribution

Time to give it out

As is clear from Ibn 'Abbas's report above, zakat al-fitr should be given on the 'Eid day, no later that the prayer.

It has further been reported that Ibn 'Umar used to give it out one or two days before the Eid.  [Ibn Khuzaymah (al-Hilali)]

This provides a basis for giving it a few days before the Eid.

But it is wrong to give it too early in the month of Ramadaan.  Doing that would conflict with its wisdom of being atonement of the sins during the month, and provision for the needy on Eid; it further conflicts with the practice of the sahabah ( ajma'een) and the salaf.

However, it is permissible to give it early to those who collect it, trusting that they would not deliver it to those who deserve it before the end of the month.  This was done at the time of the sahaabah, when the collectors used to finish collecting it one or two days before the Eid. [Ibn khuzaymah (al-Hilali)]

Collecting it

It is permissible to appoint individuals to collect zakat-ul-fitr from the people; it is also permissible to give from it to those collectors if they need and deserve it.  Ibn 'Umar used to do that [Ibn Khuzaymah (Al-Hilali)]

It is further recommended to appoint a person to take care of the collected zakat-ul-fitr.  The Prophet appointed Abu Hurayrah to this job, as he  said:

"Allah's Messenger entrusted me to look after the zakah of Ramadan."   [Al-Bukhari]

People who deserve it

Zakat al-Fitr should be distributed to the miskeen (the needy), as was stated in the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas .  It may not be distributed among all of the eight types to which the normal zakah is given.

A miskeen is not a person in complete poverty, but is one whose financial means are limited.