Zakat fitri carries both a devotional and a social dimension. On the one hand, it is an individual obligation for every Muslim who has sufficient means. On the other hand, it functions as a mechanism for distributing welfare within society. It aimed particularly at helping the poor and needy during the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
Therefore, discussions about zakat fitri do not only concern when it must be paid by the muzakki (zakat payer). It must also consider how this social obligation. Meaning, how it is managed and distributed by amil (zakat administrators) to the mustahik (eligible recipients) must be taken into consideration.
In Islamic jurisprudence, a distinction is made between the time of payment and the time of distribution. For the muzakki, zakat fitri is recommended to be paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer. This argument is emphasized in an authentic hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar:
عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ زَكَاةَ الْفِطْرِ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ وَالْحُرِّ وَالذَّكَرِ وَالْأُنْثَى وَالصَّغِيرِ وَالْكَبِيرِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَأَمَرَ بِهَا أَنْ تُؤَدَّى قَبْلَ خُرُوجِ النَّاسِ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ. (رواه البخاري)
“From Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made zakat fitri obligatory—one ṣāʿ of dates or one ṣāʿ of barley—upon every Muslim, whether slave or free, male or female, young or old. He instructed that it be given before people go out to perform the Eid prayer.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari)
This hadith establishes that zakat fitri should ideally be paid before Muslims depart for Eid prayer. The underlying reason is to allow the poor to benefit from it on the day of celebration.
The categories of those entitled to receive zakat are clearly mentioned in the Qur’an. Allah says:
إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (التوبة: 60)
“Indeed, alms are only for the poor, the needy, those employed to collect them, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, for freeing captives, for those in debt, for the cause of Allah, and for the stranded traveler—as an obligation from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (QS. At-Taubah: 60)
This verse indicates that zakat belongs to eight categories of mustahik. As long as it has not yet reached them, it remains a trust under the responsibility of the zakat administrators.
In modern zakat management practicesdistribution cannot always be completed within a single day. Zakat is often collected in large amounts close to Eid. The process of identifying mustahik, distributing assistance, and delivering aid to different regions moreover, requires considerable time.
Therefore, as long as the muzakki has submitted their zakat to the amil within the proper time—before the Eid prayer—their obligation has been fulfilled. After that, responsibility shifts to the amil to distribute the zakat properly to eligible recipients.
Thus, in certain circumstances the distribution of zakat by the amil only occurs after the Eid day. In some cases in larger area coverage, it even extends over a longer period. It is still permissible as long as the zakat ultimately reaches the rightful mustahik.
This principle shows that the Islamic law of zakat not only regulates individual obligations but also allows flexibility for realistic and organized social management. What matters most is that the trust of zakat is preserved and delivered to those who are entitled to receive it, as established by Allah in the Qur’an.
Reference:
Central Board of Muhammadiyah, Fikih Zakat Kontemporer, in Official News of Muhammadiyah No. 05/2022–2027/Zulkaidah 1446 H/May 2025, Yogyakarta: Gramasurya, 2025.
