Who gives out Zakat Al-Fitr on behalf of a daughter who has wealth?

01/08/2010| IslamWeb

Question 

My question is: My daughter has recently gotten a job that earns her no more than 200 pounds a month, and I have a job too. I want to know if Zakat Al-Fitr is due on her from her salary or is it due upon her mother instead. Advise me please, may Allah reward you.

Fatwa

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, is His Slave and Messenger.

The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa salam, enjoined Zakat Al-Fitr on everyone, whether young or old, male or female.

Also, it is narrated in a Hadeeth that it should also be: "And on behalf of whomever you sustain." [Ad-Daaraqutni and Al-Bayhaqi] Al-Albaani graded this Hadeeth as Hasan (authentic) in his Irwaa', although the majority of later religious scholars graded it as weak as pointed out by Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar.

An-Nawawi said, "If a child is wealthy, his financial maintenance and Zakat Al-Fitr are due on him from his wealth and it is neither due upon his father nor grandfather. This opinion was adopted by Abu Haneefah, Muhammad (ibn Al-Hasan), Ahmad and Is'haaq."

Therefore, Zakat Al-Fitr is due on your daughter if her salary is beyond her needs by an amount that is equal the value of a Saa‘ (approx. 2.5 kilograms) of the most common foodstuff in your country on the night and day of ‘Eed Al-Fitr. But if her salary does not suffice her, and it is you who provide for her, then it will be incumbent upon you to give Zakat Al-Fitr on her behalf of her, due to the command of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa salam: "And on behalf of whomever you sustain," as has already been mentioned above.

 

Allah Knows best.