THE WAY TO JANNAH

(According to Fataawa of Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni Seestani)

Payment of fitrah becomes wajib (obligatory) after sunset on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr on a person who is baligh (attained puberty), aqil (sane), and is neither needy, nor indigent nor unconscious for himself and all his dependants wherever and whoever they are.

For the purpose of fitrah, dependants include guests who are present at the host’s house at the time of sunset on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr. However, if a guest comes without the consent of the host, his fitrah becomes wajib upon the host on the basis of ehtiyat wajib (obligatory precaution). This ruling also applies to a person who is forcibly made to maintain another person. The fitrah of a guest arriving after sunset even if he was invited earlier is not upon the host, unless he is a dependant of the host. (Ehtiyat Mustahab to pay for uninvited guest or one forcibly maintained.)

Fitrah should be given from wheat, barley, raisins, rice or millet or its cash value at the rate of one sa’a (about 3 kg.) per head. On the basis of obligatory precaution (ehtiyat wajib), one should not give fitrah from that food which is not staple in his place, even if it be wheat, barley, dates or raisins. (Staple food has not been made a condition).

Fitrah is given to a needy person who, according to the shari’a is a faqeer, that is, a person who is not able to meet his living expenses for himself and for his dependants for one whole year, nor does he possess the means to earn a livelihood for himself and his dependants. It is ehtiyat wajib that the fitrah is given to a faqeer who is a Shia Ithna-Asheri. (Ehtiyat Mustahab to give to a Shia Ithna-Asheri Faqeer.)
Note: The faqeer to whom fitrah is given need not necessarily be adil, but it is ehtiyat wajib that fitrah should not be given to a person who drinks liquor, or one who does not perform his daily salaat or one who commits sins openly or one who will use the fitrah in a sinful way.

A non-Seyyid cannot give fitrah to a Seyyid even if he maintains a Seyyid and pays his fitrah.

It is ehtiyat mustahab (recommended precaution) that a faqeer be given a minimum of one full fitrah. More can be given to one person also. (Ehtiyat Wajib to give a minimum of one full fitrah to a person).

I
f a servant is employed on the condition that the employer will pay all his expenses, then the servant’s fitrah becomes wajib upon the employer. But if the condition is the payment of the salary only, then his fitrah is not wajib upon the employer.

If the price of one type of grain is double that of the other, one cannot give half the measure of the better grain nor its cash value as fitrah.

It is recommended to give preference to one’s relatives when giving fitrah, then to the neighbors and then ahlul ilm (people of learning). Preference, however, can be given to another category of people if there is a good reason to do so.

For those who pray Salatul Eid, it is ehtiyat wajib to give the fitrah before the Eid prayers and for those not praying Salatul Eid the time extends up to before Dhuhr. If fitrah is set aside but not distributed by Dhuhr, then whenever it is disbursed, the niyyah (intention) of fitrah should be made. If one does not give out or set aside the fitrah within the due time, he should give the fitrah later, on the basis of precaution, without making the niyyah of adaa or qadhaa but only qurbatan Ilallah.

On the basis of ehtiyat wajib, fitrah should not be sent outside the town one resides in if there are deserving people in that town. If one does so and the fitrah gets spoiled or lost then it must be given again.

Fitrah cannot be given before the month of Ramadhan and it is better not to give it during the month of Ramadhan. However, if a loan was given to a person who deserves to receive fitrah, then when the fitrah becomes due that amount can be set off against the fitrah.

If fitrah is given from a thing which is inferior or defective, it will not be sufficient.

Hadith