At the end of the holy month of Ramadhan, which teaches many tacit lessons to mankind, the night just before the Eid al Fitr is a session that teaches equality in all forms, with financial equality at the core.
Titled Zakat al Fitr, the night after the final fasting is done, is the time to exhort financial equality among the haves and have-nots and to help the poor celebrate the Eid al Fitr at par with rich members of society.
Islam commands a certain percentage of Zakat to be given to the destitute to ensure the circulation of wealth within society. On the other hand, Zakat al Fitr is the way each member of society is required to make a proper calculation on how much charity is due from himself and his family members and go into the community and distribute among the deserving people to help them welcome the Eid day with a smiling face.
The Oman Charitable Organisation (OCO) portal which drives the national Zakat al Fitr drive has a very lively section for Zakat al Fitr where both citizens and residents can, from anywhere in the world, donate and take part in the poverty-alleviating task taught to mankind some 1,400 years ago.
According to the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, the Zakat al Fitr payable on each member in the family is RO 1.200, or RO 1.300, when it is measured in local currency value.
“Zakat al Fitr is nothing but supplying essentials, including rice and other items (depending upon the geographical and cultural differences) necessary to a needy family to have their meals and this has a greater role to play in our lives,” says Hatim Abdussalam, a religious scholar.
Zakat al Fitr is calculated on all members, men or women, minor or adult, and including even the baby inside the mother’s womb, and distributed among the needy, this kind of charity plays a very important role in the development of the bonds of community, according to scholars.
History has it, Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made Zakat al Fitr compulsory on every slave, freeman, male, female, young and old among the Muslims; one Saa of dried dates or one Saa of barley.
The Zakat al Fitr is a measure by which every Muslim is supposed to pay grains equivalent to certain amount of wealth as Zakat al Fitr at the conclusion of the month of Ramadhan as a token of gratitude to Allah the Almighty for having enabled him or her to observe the obligatory fasting for 30 days.
Another school of thought suggests that the Prophet of Allah enjoined Zakat al Fitr on those who fast to shield them from any indecent act or speech from the believer during the holy month, and for the purpose of providing food for the needy.
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