Zakat Builds Lives Accessibility Opportunities
Donate your Zakat-al-Fitr
Zakat Policy
“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in Allah’s way is as the likeness of a grain which grows [into] seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. Allah increase manifold to whom He will. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.”
Quran (2:261)
Fitrah or Zakat Al Fitr is a charitable act that must be completed before the end of Ramadan. Each Fitrah contribution should be enough to cover one meal for one individual, and must be given on behalf of each member of your family.
The cost of Fitrah is $15 per person, and can be donated to IDRF as part of your religious giving obligations.
IDRF has been providing Fitrah in Gaza for a number of years. We’re committed to ensuring that individuals in need, including orphans, widows and vulnerable people, don’t just receive a single meal — they receive food for the entire month of Ramadan.
To do this, we provide five weeks of food, and an Eid gift to over 6000 people each year. Around 69% of our beneficiaries will be children, a quarter of these under 5 years old.
Impact
6,000 people receive 5 weeks
of food, and an Eid Gift.
FAQs
What's the difference between Zakat and Zakat-al-Fitr?
As Muslims, it is our Islamic duty to provide Zakat and Zakat-Al-Fitr if we have the means to do so. While Zakat-al-Fitr is a specific form of alms-giving, Zakat usually refers to alms-giving in general, and is also known as Zakat-al-Mal. Both are a means to purification and are acts of worship that demonstrate gratitude for the blessings of life and love for one’s neighbour – those in need. However they are different in who is eligible to give, the amount that is to be given, and when the giving is due.
Zakat-al-Mal refers to saved money, and is therefore a purification of one’s wealth and an obligation on those who have a certain amount of held savings over the course of the year, payable anytime. Zakat al-Fitr is an obligation on everyone who is capable to pay it, defined as someone who has enough to eat for one day and night. Therefore, Zakat-al Fitr is usually a lesser amount and must be given before Ramadan ends.
Whom am I responsible to pay Zakat-al-Fitr for?
Zakat al-Fitr should be paid on behalf of everyone in the family. Since there is a wider spectrum of people who have to pay Zakat-al-Fitr, it is the responsibility of the head of the household to pay for those under their care. Thus, for children and dependants, this task is undertaken by parents or guardians on their behalf.
When should Zakat-al-Fitr be given?
One of the conditions of Zakat-al-Fitr is it must be offered during Ramadan before the month ends, and specifically before the Eid prayer.
If it is given afterward it will be treated as general alms-giving (sadaqah), and any religious significance or reward will be lesser. As a religious obligation, it’s important to keep this in mind to avoid giving your donations too late. Similarly, paying in time it helps IDRF to fulfill its responsibility of distributing these donations on the day of Eid.
How much is Zakat-al-Fitr?
The donation amount must be enough to cover one full meal for an individual, or $15 per each person in a household or family.
This is calculated according to minimum donation amount prescribed by the Prophet (peace be upon him) of one sa’a of food (app. 2kg), and then applied to the cost of staple foods such as flour, rice, or what might be available in a particular country.
Who receives my donation?
For a number of years, IDRF has been dedicated to the distribution of Zakat-al-Fitr to some of the poorest Palestinian families in Gaza, including widows, orphans and children. Nearly 70% of beneficiaries will be children, and a quarter of these under 5 years old.
Through your generous donations, we do not only provide a single meal to those in need, but food to over 6000 people throughout the entire month of Ramadan, providing 5 weeks’ worth of food and an Eid Gift.
This is part of a comprehensive IDRF project in Gaza, in which we purchase the food from over a hundred small-scale farmers, whom we’ve also helped with training and land rehabilitation, thus ensuring their livelihoods while helping to sustain and stabilize the local economic market. We have been working with these farmers throughout the ongoing crisis, using their produce to support displaced families in Gaza.
Make your Fitrah Contribution Today!
