كُلُّ مَنْ ضَمَمْتَ إِلَى عِيَالِكَ مِنْ حُرٍّ أَوْ مَمْلُوكٍ فَعَلَيْكَ أَنْ تُؤَدِّيَ الْفِطْرَةَ عَنْهُ[4] قَالَ وَ إِعْطَاءُ الْفِطْرَةِ قَبْلَ الصَّلَاةِ أَفْضَلُ وَ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ صَدَقَةٌ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Whomever you include in you dependents, free people or slaves it then is obligatory upon you to pay al-Fitrah for them.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Paying al- Fitrah before Salat (prayer) is better and after Salat (prayer) it is charity.’”
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْفِطْرَةِ فَقَالَ عَلَى الصَّغِيرِ وَ الْكَبِيرِ وَ الْحُرِّ وَ الْعَبْدِ عَنْ كُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ صَاعٌ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ زَبِيبٍ.
‘It is obligatory upon small, grown up people, free and slaves. The amount of al-Fitrah for every human being is one Sa‘ (three kilograms). It can be paid from wheat or dates or raisins.’”
التَّمْرُ فِي الْفِطْرَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ لِأَنَّهُ أَسْرَعُ مَنْفَعَةً وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا وَقَعَ فِي يَدِ صَاحِبِهِ أَكَلَ مِنْهُ قَالَ وَ قَالَ نَزَلَتِ الزَّكَاةُ وَ لَيْسَ لِلنَّاسِ أَمْوَالٌ وَ إِنَّمَا كَانَتِ الْفِطْرَةُ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Paying al-Fitrah in the form of dates is better than other items because its benefit is immediate. As soon as it reaches the hands of the recipient he eats thereof.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Zakat had come but people had no taxable assets. It was only al- Fitrah.’”
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْفِطْرَةُ إِنْ أَعْطَيْتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ إِلَى الْعِيدِ فَهِيَ فِطْرَةٌ وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ بَعْدَ مَا تَخْرُجُ إِلَى الْعِيدِ فَهِيَ صَدَقَةٌ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If you pay before going out for Salat (prayer) on ‘Id day it is al-Fitrah, but if you pay after you go out for ‘Id it then is charity.’”
سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْفِطْرَةِ كَمْ نَدْفَعُ عَنْ كُلِّ رَأْسٍ مِنَ الْحِنْطَةِ وَ الشَّعِيرِ وَ التَّمْرِ وَ الزَّبِيبِ قَالَ صَاعٌ بِصَاعِ النَّبِيِّ ص.
“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about the amount of wheat, barley, dates or raisins for each person as al-Fitrah. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is one Sa’ of the Sa‘ of the Prophet (sw).”’
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ تَعْجِيلِ الْفِطْرَةِ بِيَوْمٍ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ قُلْتُ فَمَا تَرَى بِأَنْ نَجْمَعَهَا وَ نَجْعَلَ قِيمَتَهَا وَرِقاً[3] وَ نُعْطِيَهَا رَجُلًا وَاحِداً مُسْلِماً قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ.
“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about paying al-Fitrah one day earlier. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’ I then asked, ‘Is it permissible to collect al-Fitrah and then turn it into waraq (cash) and give it to one Muslim person?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’”
لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يُعْطِيَ الرَّجُلُ عَنْ عِيَالِهِ وَ هُمْ غُيَّبٌ عَنْهُ وَ يَأْمُرَهُمْ فَيُعْطُونَ عَنْهُ وَ هُوَ غَائِبٌ عَنْهُمْ.
‘It is not harmful to pay al-Fitrah for one’s dependents who are not present, and one can instruct his dependents to pay for him in case one is not present.’”
كَتَبْتُ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ ع أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الْفِطْرَةِ وَ كَمْ تُدْفَعُ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ سِتَّةُ أَرْطَالٍ مِنْ تَمْرٍ بِالْمَدَنِيِّ وَ ذَلِكَ تِسْعَةُ أَرْطَالٍ بِالْبَغْدَادِيِّ.
‘It is six Artal of dates by al-Madiniy Artal which is nine Artal by al- Baghdadiy ones.”’
كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع عَلَى يَدَيْ أَبِي[2] جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ أَصْحَابَنَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِي الصَّاعِ بَعْضُهُمْ يَقُولُ الْفِطْرَةُ بِصَاعِ الْمَدَنِيِّ وَ بَعْضُهُمْ يَقُولُ بِصَاعِ الْعِرَاقِيِّ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ الصَّاعُ سِتَّةُ أَرْطَالٍ بِالْمَدَنِيِّ وَ تِسْعَةُ أَرْطَالٍ بِالْعِرَاقِيِّ قَالَ وَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّهُ يَكُونُ بِالْوَزْنِ أَلْفاً وَ مِائَةً وَ سَبْعِينَ وَزْنَةً.
“I once wrote to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), through my father asking, ‘May I be sacrificed for you, our people have differences about al-Sa’. Some of them say that al-Fitra is by al-Sa‘ al-Madaniy and others say it is by al-Sa‘ al-‘Iraqiy. He (the Imam) wrote back to me: ‘Al-Sa‘ is six Artal by al-Madaniy, and nine Artal by
قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الرَّجُلُ لَا يَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الْفِطْرَةِ إِلَّا مَا يُؤَدِّي عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَحْدَهَا يُعْطِيهِ غَرِيباً أَوْ يَأْكُلُ هُوَ وَ عِيَالُهُ قَالَ يُعْطِي بَعْضَ عِيَالِهِ ثُمَّ يُعْطِي الْآخَرُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ يُرَدِّدُونَهَا فَيَكُونُ عَنْهُمْ جَمِيعاً فِطْرَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ.
“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who has an amount which is only sufficient for him if he can give it to an outsider destitute or himself and (his) family use it. He (the Imam) said, ‘He can give to one of his dependents who then gives to another and so on, one person gives to other one and it will be o
قُلْتُ الْفَقِيرُ الَّذِي يُتَصَدَّقُ عَلَيْهِ هَلْ عَلَيْهِ صَدَقَةُ الْفِطْرَةِ فَقَالَ[3] نَعَمْ يُعْطِي مِمَّا يُتَصَدَّقُ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ[4].
“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who receives al-Fitrah: if he is required to pay al-Fitrah. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he is required to pay al-Fitrah from what he receives as al- Fitrah.’”
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ مَوْلُودٍ وُلِدَ لَيْلَةَ الْفِطْرِ عَلَيْهِ فِطْرَةٌ قَالَ لَا قَدْ خَرَجَ الشَّهْرُ قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ يَهُودِيٍّ- أَسْلَمَ لَيْلَةَ الْفِطْرِ عَلَيْهِ فِطْرَةٌ قَالَ لَا.
“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a new born on the night of al-Fitr; if there is al-Fitrah obligatory. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, al-Fitrah is not obligatory because the month is passed.’ I then asked, about a Jew who becomes a Muslim on the night of al-Fitr. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, al-Fitrah is no
كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ الْوَصِيُّ يُزَكِّي عَنِ الْيَتَامَى زَكَاةَ الْفِطْرَةِ إِذَا كَانَ لَهُمْ مَالٌ فَكَتَبَ لَا زَكَاةَ عَلَى يَتِيمٍ وَ عَنْ مَمْلُوكٍ يَمُوتُ مَوْلَاهُ وَ هُوَ عَنْهُ غَائِبٌ فِي بَلَدٍ آخَرَ وَ فِي يَدِهِ مَالٌ لِمَوْلَاهُ- وَ يَحْضُرُ الْفِطْرُ أَ يُزَكِّي عَنْ نَفْسِهِ مِنْ مَالِ مَوْلَاهُ وَ قَدْ صَارَ لِلْيَتَامَى قَالَ نَعَمْ[1].
“I once wrote to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), and asked if the executor of the will is required to pay al-Fitrah for the orphans if they have any assets. He (the Imam) wrote, ‘There is no al-Fitrah on orphans.’ I asked if a slave whose master dies who is in another location, and there is a certain amount of assets of his mast
قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ هَلْ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَوَادِي الْفِطْرَةُ قَالَ فَقَالَ الْفِطْرَةُ عَلَى كُلِّ مَنِ اقْتَاتَ قُوتاً فَعَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُؤَدِّيَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْقُوتِ.
‘al-Fitrah is on every one who consumes food, thus it is obligatory to pay from what one consumes.’”
سُئِلَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ فِي الْبَادِيَةِ لَا يُمْكِنُهُ الْفِطْرَةُ قَالَ يَتَصَدَّقُ بِأَرْبَعَةِ أَرْطَالٍ مِنْ لَبَنٍ.
“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who lives in a remote village and is not able to pay al-Fitrah. He (the Imam) said, ’He is required to pay by four Artal of milk.”’
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ الضَّيْفُ مِنْ إِخْوَانِهِ فَيَحْضُرُ يَوْمُ الْفِطْرِ يُؤَدِّي عَنْهُ الْفِطْرَةَ قَالَ نَعَمْ الْفِطْرَةُ وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مَنْ يَعُولُ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى صَغِيرٍ أَوْ كَبِيرٍ حُرٍّ أَوْ مَمْلُوكٍ.
“I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who has a guest from his brothers and the day of al-Fitrah comes; if he must pay al-Fitrah for him. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, al-Fitrah is obligatory for everyone whom you count of your dependents, male, female, children, grown up, free or slaves.’”
لَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يُعْطِيَ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ عَنْ رَأْسَيْنِ وَ ثَلَاثَةٍ وَ أَرْبَعَةٍ يَعْنِي الْفِطْرَةَ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful to pay al-Fitrah for two, three, or four people to one man.’”
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ زَكَاةِ الْفِطْرَةِ قَالَ تُعْطِيهَا الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ مُسْلِماً فَمُسْتَضْعَفاً وَ أَعْطِ ذَا قَرَابَتِكَ مِنْهَا إِنْ شِئْتَ[2].
“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about Zakat of al-Fitrah. He (the Imam) said, ‘Pay it to the Muslims. If you do not find one, pay to a Mustaz‘af (mentally and physically weak) or pay to your relatives, if you like.’”
سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ صَدَقَةِ الْفِطْرَةِ أُعْطِيهَا غَيْرَ أَهْلِ وَلَايَتِي مِنْ فُقَرَاءِ جِيرَانِي قَالَ نَعَمْ الْجِيرَانُ أَحَقُّ بِهَا لِمَكَانِ الشُّهْرَةِ.
“I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about al-Fitrah; if I can pay it to poor neighboring people who are not of the people of my Wilayah (people who believe in the Divine Authority of ’A’immah). He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, neighbors are more deserving because of the popularity (of fatwa about the privileges of neighbors).”’
يُؤَدِّي الرَّجُلُ زَكَاةَ الْفِطْرَةِ عَنْ مُكَاتَبِهِ وَ رَقِيقِ امْرَأَتِهِ وَ عَبْدِهِ النَّصْرَانِيِّ وَ الْمَجُوسِيِّ وَ مَا أَغْلَقَ عَلَيْهِ بَابَهُ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is permissible to pay Zakat al-Fitrah to a slave who has contracted his freedom, slave of one’s wife, his own Christian, Zoroastrian slave and those who have closed the door on themselves.’”
قَالَ: اذْهَبْ فَأَعْطِ عَنْ عِيَالِنَا[1] الْفِطْرَةَ وَ أَعْطِ عَنِ الرَّقِيقِ وَ اجْمَعْهُمْ وَ لَا تَدَعْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ تَرَكْتَ مِنْهُمْ إِنْسَاناً تَخَوَّفْتُ عَلَيْهِ الْفَوْتَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا الْفَوْتُ قَالَ الْمَوْتُ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to me, ‘Go and pay al-Fitrah for our dependents and pay for the slaves for all of them and do not leave anyone. If you left out a soul from them I will be afraid for the loss.’ I asked, ‘What kind of loss is it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is death.’”
بَعَثْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع بِدَرَاهِمَ لِي وَ لِغَيْرِي وَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ أُخْبِرُهُ أَنَّهَا مِنْ فِطْرَةِ الْعِيَالِ فَكَتَبَ بِخَطِّهِ قَبَضْتُ وَ قَبِلْتُ.
“I once sent a certain amount of dirham that belonged to me and someone else to abu al-Hassan, al- Rida’ (a.s.), and wrote to inform him that it is of al-Fitrah of the family. He (the Imam) wrote with his hand writing, ‘I received and accepted.’”
سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْفِطْرَةِ لِمَنْ هِيَ قَالَ لِلْإِمَامِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ فَأُخْبِرُ أَصْحَابِي قَالَ نَعَمْ مَنْ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تُطَهِّرَهُ مِنْهُمْ وَ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ تُعْطِيَ وَ تَحْمِلَ ثَمَنَ ذَلِكَ وَرِقاً.
“I once asked him (the Imam) about al-Fitrah, ‘To whom does it belong?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It belongs to the Imam.’ I then asked, ‘Can I tell my people about it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, if you like to cleanse certain ones among them.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘It is not harmful to change the price of al-Fitrah in
كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الثَّالِثِ ع أَنَّ قَوْماً سَأَلُونِي عَنِ الْفِطْرَةِ وَ يَسْأَلُونِّي أَنْ يَحْمِلُوا قِيمَتَهَا إِلَيْكَ وَ قَدْ بَعَثَ إِلَيْكَ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ عَامَ أَوَّلَ[3] وَ سَأَلَنِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ فَنَسِيتُ ذَلِكَ وَ قَدْ بَعَثْتُ إِلَيْكَ الْعَامَ عَنْ كُلِّ رَأْسٍ مِنْ عِيَالِي بِدِرْهَمٍ عَلَى قِيمَةِ تِسْعَةِ أَرْطَالٍ بِدِرْهَمٍ[1] فَرَأْيُكَ جَعَلَنِيَ اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ فِي ذَلِكَ ف
“I once wrote to abu al-Hassan, the third (a.s.), that a (certain) people have asked me about al-Fitrah. They ask if they can bring its price to you. In the year before, this man had delivered to you. He had asked me to ask you but I had forgotten about it. This year I have sent you for every one of my dependents one d