ZAKAT FITRA IS ONLY TO THE POOR FAITHFUL?
I've heard that zakat fitrah is only for the poor, is that true ustadz?
Answer
By: Ahmad Syahrin Thoriq
Indeed, there are some people who state that zakat fitrah can only be distributed to the needy and the poor, not to other ashnaf zakat.
This opinion was stated by Ibn Taimiyah and his students Ibn Qayyim al Jauziyah and some Malikiyah. The argument is:
فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ زَكَاةَ الْفِطْرِ طُهْرَةpo
"The Prophet sallallaahu'alaihi wasallam required zakat fitrah to purify fasting people from vanity and vile speech, and also to feed the poor." (Narrated by Abu Dawud and Ibnu Majah)
According to this group, Dzahir Hadith clearly states that zakat fitrah is for the poor. So this becomes the argument that it is only distributed to those who are entitled to receive zakat from poor people, not other asnaf.
Ibnul Qayim Rahimahullah said:
تخصيص المساكين بهذه الصدقة، ولم يكن يقسمها على الأصناف الثمانية
"Having been devoted to this argument zakat fitrah, it is not distributed to the other eight asnaf."[1]
Opinion of the majority of scholars
Meanwhile, the opinion of the majority of madzhab scholars states that zakat fitrah is like other zakat, it is permissible and legal to distribute it to eight parties who are entitled to receive zakat.[2]
Even Shaykh Wahbah Zuhaili stated that this opinion is ijma:
اتفق الفقهاء على أن مصرف زكاة الفطر هو مصارف الزكاة المفروضة؛ لأن صدقة الفطر زكاة، فكان مصرفها مصرف سائر الزكوات
“The fiqh experts agree that those who are entitled to receive a fitrah contract are those who are also entitled to other obligatory zakat assets. This is because zakat fitrah is like other zakat, so its distribution is the same as the distribution of existing zakat."[3]
1. Hanafiyah
These madzhabs not only allow distributing zakat fitrah to other than the poor from the eight existing zakat asnaf, but also allow zakat fitrah to be given to the poor dhimmi infidels. Al Imam As Syarkhasi Rahimahullah said:
ويجوز أن يدفع صدقة الفطر إلى أهل الذمة
"And it is also permissible to give zakat fitrah to the infidel dhimmi."[4]
2. Malikiyah
Al Kasnawi Rahimahullah said:
مصارف الزكاة الأصناف الثمانية التي ذكرها الله تعالى
"The zakat is distributed to the eight ashnaf that have been mentioned by Allah ta'ala."[5]
3. Hanabilah
ويعطى صدقة الفطر لمن يجوز أن يعطى صدقة الأموال إنما كان كذلك؛ لأن صدقة الفطر زكاة، فكان مصرفها مصرف سائر الزكاوات، ولأنها صدقة، فتدخل فى عموم قوله تعالى: إنما الصدقات ...
"Zakat fitrah can be given to those who may receive zakat assets. This is because zakat fitrah is a type of zakat, so its distribution is the same as the distribution of all zakat. Because in fact it (zakat fitrah) includes zakat which is included in the generality of the word of Allah Ta'ala: "Indeed, zakat is for …."[6]
4. Shafi'iyyah
Whereas the Shafi'i madhhab not only allows but even obliges the distribution of zakat not only to the poor, but also to be evenly distributed to all mustahik who are entitled to receive zakat.
Al Imam Nawawi Rahimahullah said:
زكاة الفطر فمذهب الشافعي وجمهور أصحابه وجوب صرفها إلى الأصناف كلهم كباقي الزكوات
"Regarding Zakat Fitrah, the Shafi'i school of thought and the majority of our friends are of the opinion that it is obligatory to distribute zakat fitrah to all ashnaf zakat, as is the case with other zakat."[7]
Imam Ramli Rahimahullah said:
يجب استيعاب الأصناف الثمانية بالزكاة ولو زكاة الفطر
"It is obligatory to fulfill the eight ashnaf of zakat in paying zakat, including zakat fitrah."[8]
Refutation of the argumentation of zakat fitrah is only for the poor
The scholars have submitted corrections and rebuttals to those who use the hadith "feeding the poor" as the argument that zakat fitrah is only for the poor and not for other ashnaf zakat.
Among them is what was stated by al imam Ash Shan'ani Rahimahullah:
وذهب آخرون إلى أنها كالزكاة تصرف في الثمانية الأصناف واستقواه المهدي لعموم: {إنما الصدقات}. والتنصيص على بعض الأصناف لا يلزم منه التخصيص، فإنه قد وقع ذلك في الزكاة، ولم يقل أحد بتخصيص مصرفها، ففي حديث معاذ: "أمرت أن آخذها من أغنيائكم وأردها في فقرائكم
"As for the scholars' who are of the opinion, in fact zakat fitrah is distributed to eight groups, and this is felt strongly by Al-Mahdi because of the generality of Allah Ta'ala's words: "Indeed, zakat is…." (QS. At Tawbah: 60)
The existence of a hadith which mentions some groups who are entitled to receive zakat does not require specialization from it. Because this also happens to zakat mal treasures. However, there is not a single scholar who specializes in distributing it to the poor only.
Regarding zakat assets, there is a hadith from Mu'adz bin Jabal: "I was ordered to take zakat assets from rich people and I distributed them to the poor people from you."[9]
From the explanation above, it can be understood that the mention of the poor in the hadith is not to deny it, but to enter into the rules explained in ushul fiqh by:
ذكر بعض أفراد العام بحكم يوافق العام لا يقتضي التخصيص
"The mention of some of the general units, along with the same law is not a specialization."
So that the hadith which mentions the poor group as one group entitled to receive zakat from eight groups, does not mean as a limitation, but only as an example.
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Because if the mention of some of the things that are many in number means that it is specialization, then there will be lots of arguments that experience contradictions, such as the example mentioned by Imam Shan'ani in the matter of zakat assets. 📜 Wallahu a ' lam.
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[1] Zadul Ma'ad (2/26)
[2] Al Mausu'ah Fiqhiyah al Kuwaitiyah (23/344)
[3] Islamic Fiqh wa Adilatuhu (3/2048)
[4] Al Mabsuth (3/111)
[5] Ashalul Madarik (1/409)
[6] Al Mughni li Ibn Qudamah (4/314)
[7] Majmu' Syarah al Muhadzdzab (6/186)
[8] Nihayatul Muhtaj (6/164)
[9] Subulussalam (4/57)