How Much Is Zakat al-Fitr in Food?
Zakat al-Fitr (also called fitrana or sadaqat al-fitr) is the charity you give at the end of Ramadan, before the Eid prayer.
The measure comes from hadith. Ibn Umar narrated that the Messenger made it obligatory as one sa’ of dates or one sa’ of barley (Bukhari 1503, Muslim 984). Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said we used to give one sa’ of food — dates, barley, cheese, or raisins (Bukhari 1412).
What counts as food? Most scholars hold it should be the staple food of your locality — wheat, rice, dates, barley, raisins, or dried yogurt. That view is cited by Shafi’i in al-Umm [IslamQA.info].
One sa’ is a volume. When you convert it to weight, the weight changes with the food type. That is why you see a range:
| Number | Meaning | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 1 sa’ | Prophetic measure = 4 mudd = 4 double handfuls | Dar al-Ifta Egypt, IslamQA.info, Islamic Relief UK |
| 2.04 kg | Conversion per majority of scholars | Dar al-Ifta Egypt |
| 2.175 kg | Shafi’i and Hanbali conversion | Masarat Initiative |
| 2.5 kg | Common conversion for wheat/rice used by Jordan, UAE | Jordan Iftaa, UAE Council for Fatwa via Gulf News, NZF |
| 3 kg | Hanafi precautionary conversion to ensure excess | Masarat Initiative, IslamQA.com (Ibn Baz) |
| 2.5% | Zakat al-Mal rate (not Zakat al-Fitr, anchor for Zakat al-Mal) | Islamic Relief Australia |
| 1 lunar year | hawl (one lunar year) for Zakat al-Mal, not required for Zakat al-Fitr | Islamic Relief UK |
| 595 g silver | Silver nisab (minimum threshold) - 200 dirhams, most common | Islamic Relief Australia, Alsunna.org |
| 612.36 g silver | Silver nisab variant used by Islamic Relief and others, 200 dirhams x 3.0618g | Islamic Relief Australia, WellWishers.org.uk |
| 85 g gold | Gold nisab - 20 mithqal x 4.25g | Islamic Relief Australia, Alsunna.org |
| 87.48 g gold | Gold nisab variant - 20 mithqal x 4.374g | Islamic Relief UK, Islamic Relief Australia |
For you, if you give rice, most organisations in 2026 count 2.5 kg per person as one sa’. If you want to be cautious, some scholars mention 3 kg covers the sunnah safely.
How Much Is Zakat al-Fitr in Cash in 2026?
Cash amounts are set each year from the local price of staple food. The amount is per person in the household.
Here is what major bodies recommended for 2026:
| Number | Meaning | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Dh25 + 2.5kg rice | UAE 2026 | Gulf News - UAE Council for Fatwa field study March 2026 |
| QAR 15 | Qatar 2026 | ILoveQatar.net Ministry of Awqaf March 4 2026 |
| SAR 30 | Saudi cash value + grain weights (2300g rice, 2040g wheat) | Kalimah Center citing Council of Senior Scholars |
| $10 | USA 2026 - Fiqh Council of North America + Islamic Relief USA | Fiqh Council of North America Feb 7 2026, Islamic Relief USA |
| £5 | UK standard - Islamic Relief UK, Muslim Hands UK | Islamic Relief UK 2026, Muslim Hands UK |
| £7 | UK NZF recommended | NZF knowledge article approved Aug 6 2023 |
| £8 | UK East London Mosque message 2025/2026 | East London Mosque TikTok |
| 15 CHF / 15 CAD / 240 TL / 23 MAD | Switzerland, Canada, Turkey, Morocco 2026 | Barakah.ch, Barakah.ca, Diyanet video, Morocco Supreme Council video - LOW CONFIDENCE |
Islamic Relief UK explains its £5 as the price of about 2 kg of flour or rice. Muslim Hands UK also sets £5 per person and acts as your agent to buy and distribute food before Eid.
NZF recommends £7. In the US, the Fiqh Council calculated staple costs by state from Numbeo data and rounded to $10 out of caution.
Who Has to Pay It?
Most scholars hold that every Muslim — male or female, free or enslaved, young or old — who has surplus food for the day and night of Eid should pay. The head of household pays for dependents including children. This is explained by al-Khattabi as the view of the majority [IslamOnline].
The Hanafi school holds that nisab (the minimum threshold) is required. You pay if your zakatable assets plus non-essential items minus debts equals or exceeds nisab on the day of Eid [NZF] [Al-Islam.org].
When to Pay
The latest time is before the Eid prayer. Ibn Abbas reported: whoever gives it before the prayer, it is accepted as zakah, and whoever gives it after, it is just sadaqah (Abu Dawud 1609) [IslamQA.com].
The earliest time also differs:
- Companions used to give it one or two days before Eid. Scholars mention the night of the 28th of Ramadan as when it first becomes due [IslamQA.com].
- AMJA notes that based on need, and citing Shafi’i, paying from the beginning of Ramadan is allowed [AMJA].
If you pay through a charity, many ask you to pay before the 20th of Ramadan so it reaches families in time for Eid.
Why Scholars Differ on Cash, Weight, and Timing
| Question | Position A (who) | Position B (who) | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can cash be given instead of food? | Permissible, preferred when more beneficial [AMJA] (Hanafi school, Ibn Taymiyyah, Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, Hasan al-Basri) | Not permissible, must be food [IslamQA.info] (majority: Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanbali, Ibn Baz) | You give cash $10-Dh25 vs 2.5kg rice; charity converts cash to food |
| Weight of 1 sa’ | ~2.04 kg (majority) [Dar al-Ifta Egypt], ~2.175 kg (Shafi’i, Hanbali) [Masarat Initiative], 2.5 kg [Jordan Iftaa] | ~3 kg (Hanafi precaution) [Masarat Initiative], ~3 kg [IslamQA.com] | 2.04 kg vs 3 kg per person |
| Who is obligated? | Everyone with surplus for Eid day/night [IslamOnline] (majority) | Only those whose wealth reaches nisab after needs [NZF] (Hanafi) | Poor with daily surplus still obligated under majority |
| Earliest time to pay? | Night of 28th Ramadan [IslamQA.com] (Ibn Baz) | Beginning of Ramadan for need [AMJA] (AMJA Resident Fatwa Committee) | Early online payment vs last 2 days |
- Zakat al-Fitr is one sa’ per person, about 2.04 kg to 3 kg of local staple.
- 2026 cash amounts vary: US $10, UK £5-£7, UAE Dh25, Qatar QAR15, Saudi SAR30.
- Most scholars require surplus for Eid day; Hanafi requires reaching nisab.
- Pay before Eid prayer; after counts as general sadaqah per hadith Abu Dawud 1609.
- Cash vs food is differed upon: Hanafi and many councils allow cash, majority require food.
Scholars differ on cash, weight, and obligation threshold. Hanafi school and bodies like AMJA and UAE Council for Fatwa allow cash value if more beneficial for the poor. Majority of scholars including Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanbali and Ibn Baz hold it must be staple food. Weight differs from 2.04 kg to 3 kg, and obligation differs from surplus-based to nisab-based. Practical effect is whether you give 2.5 kg rice or Dh25/$10 and who in a household must be covered. Follow a scholar you trust.
Frequently asked questions
One sa’ per person — four double handfuls — about 2.5 kg commonly, with range 2.04 kg to 3 kg depending on conversion [Dar al-Ifta Egypt] [Masarat Initiative].
Hanafi school and councils like AMJA and UAE Council allow cash if beneficial [AMJA] [Gulf News]; majority of scholars hold it must be food [IslamQA.com].
Head of household pays for dependents including children under care when conditions are met [NZF].
Before Eid prayer; after is general charity per hadith Ibn Abbas Abu Dawud 1609 [IslamQA.com].
Local staple — wheat, rice, dates, barley, raisins, dried yogurt per Abu Sa’id hadith Bukhari 1412 [IslamQA.info].
Yes, charities like Muslim Hands and Islamic Relief act as agents to buy and distribute food before Eid [Muslim Hands UK] [Islamic Relief UK].
- Dar al-Ifta Egypt — 2.04 kg majority and wisdom hadith
- Jordan Iftaa / aliftaa.jo — 2.5 kg sa’ definition and cash permissibility
- Fiqh Council of North America — $10 Zakat al-Fitr 2026 methodology Feb 2026
- AMJA Online — cash permissibility COVID fatwa and early payment
- SeekersGuidance — Hanafi cash preferred, reports of Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz
- IslamQA.info — amount one sa’, staple food, obligation
- IslamQA.com — rate one sa’ ~3 kg, timing 28th Ramadan, cash majority view Ibn Baz
- NZF — £7 UK, Hanafi nisab requirement
- Islamic Relief UK — £5 UK, definition 4 madd, 2kg minimum
- Islamic Relief USA — $10 per person 2026 guidance
- Muslim Hands UK — £5 per person agent distribution
- Islamic Relief Australia — nisab 85g/595g and 87.48g/612.36g variants
- Gulf News — UAE Dh25 + 2.5kg rice 2026 field study
- ILoveQatar — Qatar QAR15 2026 Ministry of Awqaf
- Masarat Initiative — 2.175 kg Shafi’i/Hanbali vs 3 kg Hanafi
- IslamOnline — majority vs nisab obligation Khattabi
- Al-Islam.org — Five schools on Zakat al-Fitr
- Zakatcalculators.com — timing before Eid prayer, recipients poor and needy
- Kalimah Center — Saudi SAR30 and grain weights 2026
⚠️ Educational content only — not a fatwa. Rulings differ by school of thought and personal situation; please confirm with a qualified scholar.
