Every Muslim who has food beyond the needs of Eid day pays Zakat al-Fitr for themselves and the people they support, young and old. Pay it before the Eid prayer. In 2027 that is before the Eid prayer on the morning of Tuesday 9 March (expected). The amount is one sa' (a set measure) of staple food per person, or its value in money where your school allows it.
What Zakat al-Fitr is
"Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) enjoined the payment of one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr on every Muslim slave or free, male or female, young or old, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the `Id prayer."
Sahih al-Bukhari 1503 (Ibn Umar)
It cleans the fasting person of idle and bad talk, and it feeds the poor. Paid before the Eid prayer, it counts as Zakat al-Fitr. Paid after the prayer, it is ordinary charity.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1609 (Ibn Abbas; graded Hasan by al-Albani)
Who pays, and for whom
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who pays? | Most scholars: every Muslim who has food beyond what they and their family need for Eid day and night. The Hanafi school: only someone who owns the zakat threshold (nisab). |
| For whom? | Yourself and the people you support: your children, and others in your care. Male or female, young or old (Sahih al-Bukhari 1503). Schools differ on some cases, such as whether a husband pays for his wife. |
| Babies? | Yes. "Young or old" includes children. A baby born before Ramadan ends is counted. Schools differ slightly on the cut-off: sunset on the last day of Ramadan, or dawn on Eid. |
| Who receives it? | The poor and needy. It is "food for the poor" (Sunan Abi Dawud 1609). |
When to pay in 2027
| When | Date (expected) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| A day or two before Eid | Sun 7 – Mon 8 Mar 2027 | Companions did this Sahih al-Bukhari 1511 |
| Eid morning, before the prayer | Tue 9 Mar 2027 | As the Prophet ﷺ ordered Sahih al-Bukhari 1503, 1509 |
| After the Eid prayer | Tue 9 Mar, later | Late Counts as ordinary charity (Sunan Abi Dawud 1609). It is still owed. |
How early? Some schools allow paying from the start of Ramadan. Others allow only a day or two before Eid. Many people pay through a mosque or charity that hands the food out before Eid.
Food or money? Most scholars say give staple food, as in the hadith. The Hanafi school allows its value in money.
If your community starts Ramadan on Tuesday 9 February, Eid may be on Wednesday 10 March. Follow your mosque.
Fidya is different
Fidya is for someone who cannot fast and will never be able to make the days up, such as the very old or the chronically ill. They feed one poor person for each day missed (Qur'an 2:184). If you will be able to fast later, you make the days up instead. See qada and fidya.
Kaffarah is different again. It is the penalty for breaking a Ramadan fast on purpose in a serious way. See kaffarah, briefly.
Example amounts and where they come from
Food prices differ by country, so each country's scholars or zakat body set the amount. These are 2026 figures, for Ramadan 1447. The 2027 figures may differ.
| Body | Zakat al-Fitr (per person) | Fidya (per day) |
|---|---|---|
| Fiqh Council of North America (USA) Amount of Fidyah and Zakat al-Fitr, dated 7 Feb 2026 | $10 (2026) | $15 (2026) |
| MUIS, Islamic Religious Council of Singapore Media release, 16 Feb 2026 | S$5 normal rate, S$8 higher rate (2026) | S$4 (2026) |
| BAZNAS, National Zakat Agency of Indonesia Zakat fitrah, decree SK Ketua BAZNAS No. 14 of 2026 | 2.5 kg or 3.5 litres of rice or staple food, or Rp50,000 (2026) | — |
We only show amounts we could read on the body's own page. For your country, ask your mosque, or your national zakat or fatwa body.
Questions people ask
How much is Zakat al-Fitr in 2027?
Most bodies announce the 2027 amount shortly before or during Ramadan. For scale, 2026 amounts were $10 per person from the Fiqh Council of North America, S$5 (normal) or S$8 (higher) from MUIS in Singapore, and Rp50,000 or 2.5 kg of rice from BAZNAS in Indonesia. Ask your mosque or national zakat body for your local 2027 figure.
Who must pay Zakat al-Fitr?
Every Muslim, male or female, young or old (Sahih al-Bukhari 1503). The head of the home usually pays for everyone they support. Most scholars say it is due on anyone with food beyond the needs of Eid; the Hanafi school ties it to owning nisab.
When is the deadline for Zakat al-Fitr in 2027?
Before the Eid prayer. Eid al-Fitr 2027 is expected on Tuesday 9 March, so pay before the Eid prayer that morning at the latest. The Companions also paid a day or two before Eid (Sahih al-Bukhari 1511). Paid after the prayer, it counts as ordinary charity (Sunan Abi Dawud 1609).
Can I pay Zakat al-Fitr in money?
Most scholars say give staple food, as in the hadith. The Hanafi school allows its value in money. Many mosques and charities collect money and buy food for you.
What is the difference between Zakat al-Fitr and fidya?
Zakat al-Fitr is paid once, for each person, before Eid. Fidya is paid only by someone who cannot fast and can never make the days up; they feed one poor person for each day missed (Qur'an 2:184).