>From: Sal Barry <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Charity at the end of Ramadan-Zakaat al -Fitr. >Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 18:29:26 +0000 > >Please allow me to pass on some information related to this >important topic. > >QUESTION: Is it permission to discharge Zakaatul-Fitr in money? – >with >mention of evidences. > > >ANSWER: Zakaatul Fitr is not permissible except (to be paid) from >FOOD. And >it is not allowed to discharge its value in money. This is because >the >Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) made it obligatory ( to be >discharged) from  a saa’ of dates or a saa’ of barley. >Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree (Radiallahu anhu) said  “We used to discharge >it >(       Zakaatul Fitr) in the time of the Prophet (sal Allaahu >‘alayhe wa sallam) >as a saa’ of FOOD…..). (Bukhaaree 2:582) Therefore, it is not lawful >for any >to discharge Zakaatul-Fitr from money (dirham) or clothing or >household >furnishings. Instead, that which is obligatory is to discharge it in >what >Allaah has made obligatory on the tongue of the Prophet ( sal >Allaahu >‘alayhe wa sallam). There is no consideration (weight) for the >istihsaan >[viewing of something to be good, without basis from the legal >sources of >Qur’aan and sunnah] of those of the people who viewed the giving of >money as >a good thing. The Law ( Sharee’ah) does not follow ( i.e. it is not >secondary to) the opinion of people. No, it  ( the Law) is  from the >One who >is wise, knowing – Allaah (Subhaanahu wa-taa’la) – The Mighty, The >Glorious, >The Most Knowing, The Most Wise. So, if that which has been made >obligatory >by the tongue of Muhammad ( sal Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) is a saa’ >of food >then it is not permissible to bypass ( skip over ) that, no matter >what our >intellects make us to view as being good. Instead, it is a must that >the >human being question and suspect his intellect and views if it >conflicts >with, or contradicts, the Law of Allaah. > > >Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen > >I had to retype the fatwa word for word so any mistakes or errors >are >entirely mine and I ask for forgiveness for that. > >Other Questions on Zakaatul-Fitr > >1.      The ruling for denying Zakaatul-Fitr >2.      The ruling regarding forgetting to discharge the Zakaatul >Fitr >3.      Dispatched Zakaatul-Fitr to my country >4.      Is it permissible to discharge the obligation of >Zakaatul-Fitr on the >first day of Ramadhaan? And is it permissible to distribute it in >money. >5.      What is the ruling in the case of someone compelled >discharge >Zakaatul-Fitr by money? And does it fulfill for him his obligation? >6.      Is it permissible to discharge Zakaatul-Fitr from meat? Some >of the >desert dwellers don’t have food to distribute for Zakiaatul-Fitr, so >is it >permissible for them to slaughter some of their animals and >distribute it to >the poor. > > >Fatwa-online contains fatwa information and resources provided by >kibaar >scholars of the muslim world. Kibaar scholars from my limited >understanding >are the cream of the crop among the scholars. Scholars refer/defer >to the >kibaar scholars known in Arabic as Kibaar Ulema. > > > >Ask Those Who Know >Shaykh Muhammad Naasir ud-Deen al-Albaanee rahimahullaah >Jami'at Ihyaa Minhaaj al-Sunnah >________________________________________ >Question: Some who are seeking knowledge are very hasty in giving >rulings in >matters of halaal and haraam, and this is a common noticeable >defect. What >is your advice to such people? > > >Reply: "We have spoken on this issue long before, and we said that >Allaah >the Wise has divided the Muslim community into two types of people: >the Ahl >adh-Dhikr, and those that depend on the Ahl adh-Dhikr. As Allaah >says to the >ordinary people: "Then ask those who possess the Message (Ahl >adh-Dhikr) if >you do not know." (Soorah 21:7 and 16:43) > >The Ahl adh-Dhikr are, as we all know, are the Ahl al-Qur’aan and >the Ahl >al-Hadeeth, those who know the authentic from the unauthentic, the >general >from the specific, the abrogating from the abrogated, and other such >principles of Fiqh and Hadeeth. >Hence, it is not allowed for a Muslim to begin giving fatwaas on the >basis >of some hadeeth, simply because he came across it in some book, >although he >does not know if it is saheeh according to the criteria of the >scholars of >hadeeth. On the other hand, he knows that he is not sufficiently >well-versed >in knowledge and competence in the Arabic language to explain the >meanings >and ideas behind the Kitaab and Sunnah. Therefore, anyone who has >not >decided to undertake acquiring knowledge and persevere in it for >many years, >until the people of knowledge testify that he can guide the people >and >direct them towads good, it is not permissible for him to thank that >he is >an alim (scholar) simply because he has read some ahadeeth and >memorized >some aayaat. We often hear of some of them who cannot even read the >Qur’aan >properly, nor the ahaadeeth of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa >sallam. >This is why I advise the seekers of knowledge to study two >fundamentals: a) >the principles of fiqh and b) the principles of hadeeth. >I have mentioned before that it is not easy for one to deduce the >intended >aim of the Lawgiver from any text unless he consults as far as >possible, all >the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah. I will give a clear example: >Allaah >says: "Forbidden for you are dead meat, blood…" (5:4). If a beginner >who is >studying the Qur’aan and has no knowledge of hadeeth is asked >regarding dead >fish, he will immediately bring this aayah as proof to clearly >forbid it >since it prohibits dead meat. But were he to look into the >ahaadeeth, he >would know that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, excepted >two >types of animals, fish and locusts, from this prohibition, so he >could rule >accordingly. >Briefly, the student must learn these two fundamental branches of >learning >to help to understand the Qur’aan and Sunnah as correctly as >possible." >________________________________________ > > > > > > > > >>From: "Ceesay, Soffie" <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >><[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: Re: Charity at the end of Ramadan-Zakaat al -Fitr. >>Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 06:42:08 -0500 >> >>Jazzakallah!  May Allah shower you all with the richest of >>blessings.  It >>is indeed reassuring to know that there are others in my >>predicament when >>it comes to issues like this discussion thread and to think that >>we've been >>doing it wrongly all this time ....  Yes, Allah knows best and may >>Allah >>continue to guide our actions and intentions.  Saoud's argument >>does ease >>my mind. >> >>Soffie Ceesay >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: turay, sourie [mailto:[log in to unmask]] >>Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 5:55 AM >>To: 'jsk' >>Cc: samateh saikou; Amadu sallah; Alim sesay; murtada Sesay; >>Ansumana >>sillah; Karamba touray; Mam Touray; Jane Warner; >>[log in to unmask]; Sai Njie; [log in to unmask]; Ginny >>Quick; abdul >>razim rahim; toegondoe sagbah; Musa Gassama; Habib Ghanim; Bashirou >>Jahumpa; Ben Jalloh; mohammed jalloh; baba jallow; Fatou Jallow; >>Dr. Alhaji >>S. Jeng; Malik Jeng; saloum Jeng; Jabou Joh; malamin johnson; >>SHEIKH >>KAMARAH; Abu-Hassan Koroma; fatima -D; Ibrahim Abdullah; >>[log in to unmask]; N Allotey; Ousman Bah; Sadu Bah; Abdul Karim >>Bangura; >>Salieu Barry; Ceesay, Soffie; [log in to unmask]; >>Muhammed >>Drammah; Aiah Fanday; Alhaji Fye; Momodou Buharry Gassama; >>[log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask] >>Subject: RE: Charity at the end of Ramadan-Zakaat al -Fitr. >> >> >>Ngo Sami, >> >>On occasion like this when our thinking coincides with people like >>you, it >>bodes well for us. As soon as I read the posting, the first thing >>that came >>to my mind was, have we been doing it wrong all this time we have >>been over >>here and it took an a reassuring exchange with Copenhagen to settle >>my >>mind. >> >>Of course, we all grew up seeing our fathers measuring rice for >>zakat-ul-fitr in what looked at the time a special mug for the >>purpose. >>That be almost impossible to do over here and the best possible way >>is by >>giving money as we all do. As Murtada suggests, we give the money >>not to >>individuals but to the mosque who are free to translate that into >>whatever >>will satisfy the requirements of the Sunnah!! >> >>You hit it right when you refer to Abu Saoud's distinction between >>the >>letter and spirit of the haddith!! >> >>I will join you in wishing Brother Musa, Allah's (SWT) richest >>rewards for >>the hard work that he continues to do for us and may He also reward >>all of >>us both here and back home with the blessings of Ramadan. >> >>Ramadan Mubarak. >> >>Sourie >> >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: jsk [mailto:[log in to unmask]] >>Sent: 12 November 2004 10:19 >>To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask] >>Cc: samateh saikou; Amadu sallah; Alim sesay; murtada Sesay; >>Ansumana >>sillah; turay, sourie; Karamba touray; Mam Touray; Jane Warner; >>[log in to unmask]; Sai Njie; [log in to unmask]; Ginny >>Quick; abdul >>razim rahim; toegondoe sagbah; Musa Gassama; Habib Ghanim; Bashirou >>Jahumpa; Ben Jalloh; mohammed jalloh; baba jallow; Fatou Jallow; >>Dr. Alhaji >>S. Jeng; Malik Jeng; saloum Jeng; Jabou Joh; malamin johnson; >>SHEIKH >>KAMARAH; Abu-Hassan Koroma; fatima -D; Ibrahim Abdullah; >>[log in to unmask]; N Allotey; Ousman Bah; Sadu Bah; Abdul Karim >>Bangura; >>Salieu Barry; soffie ceesay; [log in to unmask]; >>Muhammed >>Drammah; Aiah Fanday; Alhaji Fye; Momodou Buharry Gassama >>Subject: Re: Charity at the end of Ramadan-Zakaat al -Fitr. >> >> >>As-salamu Alaykum Brother Musa: >> >>Ramadan Mubarak. May Allah (SWT) grant you and your family all the >>blessings of Ramadan. Thanks for all the kutbahs you have been >>sending and >>may Allah (SWT) bless you for transmitting all that valuable >>information >>and may He give you the strength and resources to continue >>informing us. >> >>The fact that the question of fulfilling the Zakat al--Fitr >>obligation via >>cash is addressed by these great Sheiks suggests that there is a >>tendency >>to make the substitution of cash for food. Certainly in most >>Masjids in the >>Philadelphia area, this substitution is common and we have, for >>years, >>adopted the practice of giving cash. May Allah (SWT) have mercy on >>us if we >>erred and forgive our Imams because, I am sure, they did not >>deliberately >>or willfully decide to mislead us. >> >>Relying on arguments presented by scholars like Mahmoud Abu-Saud, >>it is >>virtually impossible to adhere to the letters of the Sunnah of the >>Prophet >>(SAAS) in issues concerning Zakat. The question of substituting >>rice for >>the other foods mentioned in the hadith is in itself not strictly >>following >>the Sunnah. Furthermore, if even we are inclined to give food we >>have the >>added problem of translating these weights and measures into >>contemporary >>terms. We will be forced to make approximations. Approximations, >>strictly >>speaking, do not amount to strict adherence to the Sunnah. If even >>it were >>possible to reproduce the weights and measures; what criteria could >>we use >>to claim that a "saa" of rice is equivalent to a "saa" of date, >>wheat or >>barley? The question in this case has to deal with equivalent >>ratio. The >>only way out is to claim that a "saa" is a "saa" regardless of the >>food >>substance. But then, is a "saa' of rice equivalent to a "saa" of >>banga (a >>close relative of the date)? >> >>My brother, please forgive me for taking this approach to a very >>serious >>issue. However, I do feel that the ascription of Bida (innovation) >>should >>be revisited on a case by case issue. Please look at Abu-Saud's >>work >>"Contemporary Zakat". He does raise some interesting issues >>covering the >>whole concept of Zakat in a modern society. He makes a sharp >>distinction >>between the letter of the hadith and the spirit of the hadith. >> >>Ramadan MuBarak >> >>Sami. >> >>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ >>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the >>Gambia-L >>Web interface >>at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >> >>To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: >>http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l >>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >>[log in to unmask] >>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ > >¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the >Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: >http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] >¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤