Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar said that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered the people to pay Zakat al Fitr before going to the Eid prayer. (Hadith, Bukhari)

Fitrana, also called Zakat ul-Fitr, is an obligatory charitable donation all Muslims are required to make during Ramadan. It stems from the third pillar of Islam, which is Zakat. This refers to giving charity in order to please Allah (SWT) and become both a better Muslim and a better member of the community by giving to those less fortunate.

Zakat-ul-Fitr must be paid before Eid prayers commence to allow it to reach those who need it in time. The exact time depends on the moon sighting as Eid celebrations are directly tied to the lunar month.

Every Muslim must pay Zakat-ul-Fitr, regardless of age, if they have food in their possession which is in excess of their own needs. The head of the household may make the family’s payment on behalf of their dependents, but a contribution must be made by or for each member of the home. This means that if you are unable to make the payment yourself for whatever reason, you can ask the head of your household (assuming this is not yourself) to pay your Fitrana. Fitrana is for the poorest people, who are struggling every day to feed themselves and their family.