reasons why you should give out Zakat al-Fitr

The Prophet (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) ordered that Muslims give out zakat al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan – one saa’ of staple food on behalf of yourself and each person you are responsible for.

In light of the beautiful and complete religion of Islam and the amazing benefits we reap when implementing it properly, we would like to remind ourselves of the benefit of giving out Zakatul Fitr.

1. We will build bridges with poor people and get to know them personally.

Poor people are virtuous. The Messenger (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, what means, “I saw Paradise and most of its people were the poor (of this life).”

And another authentic hadith means, “The impoverished shall enter Paradise before the rich by 500 years.”

So by seeking them out and giving them your Zakat al-Fitr, you may gain the companionship of the righteous, even for a short time.

2. We will thus appreciate our own blessings a lot more.

The Prophet (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, what means, “Look to those who have less than you, and do not look to those who have more. This is more appropriate so that you do not overlook (or undervalue) the blessings of Allah that you have.”

When you seek out poor people to give them your zakat al-Fitr, you get a chance to see their real situation and the difficulties they face. This reminds you about the blessings of Allah you have and makes you more grateful for them.

3. Sympathy toward the poor

The scholars mention that from the many benefits of fasting is that we will feel sympathetic towards the poor, by realizing that the hunger we feel is experienced by them all year round. An entire month of daily hunger pains opens our hearts to them more than ever and pushes us to do something about it. This culminates with the charitable act of giving zakat al-Fitr and putting food directly in their hands. Therefore, it is one way that the goals of fasting are actualized in the most complete and beneficial way.

4. It breaks down social and economic barriers between Muslims.

The legislation of zakat al-Fitr is one of the many ways that Islam breaks down the social and economic barriers that divide the people. By doing zakatul-fitr you get to interact with people of lower status thereby building a relationship with them.

5. It distances the Muslims from arrogance.

Since arrogance is so dangerous and counter-productive to the Muslims, our prefect Religion when practiced properly helps a Muslim overcome and/or remain distant from all manifestations of arrogance.

An arrogant man looks down on others, often those with less money. He does not want to see them, talk to them, or mix with them.

However, through Zakatul-fitr you get to interact and relate with poor people and sympathize with them

6. You will learn about their problems and be able to help them with things that are easy for you.

Delivering your own zakat al-Fitr to a poor family and taking a moment to learn about their lives may give you some insight into certain problems they are facing that might be very easy for you to solve!

They may be having difficulty registering their children in school, and you could solve that easily through your connections. Five minutes of your time could solve a problem a family has been struggling with for years!

You may discover that their electricity is scheduled to be shut off soon and you could easily pay the electricity bill for them. Real needs of real people can be met through establishing real relationships.

The Prophet (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, what means, “Whoever helps his brother, Allah will help him. Whoever alleviates the burden of a Muslim, Allah will alleviate a burden of his on the Day of Judgment.”