زكاة الفطرZakat al-Fitr Calculator
Use this free Zakat al-Fitr calculator to work out exactly how much Zakat al-Fitr (Fitrana) your household owes before Eid prayer — instantly, per person, with guidance reviewed against the four madhabs.
What Is Zakat al-Fitr?
Use the Zakat al-Fitr calculator further down this page to work out your exact Fitrana obligation before the Eid al-Fitr prayer. Zakat al-Fitr (also called Fitrana or Sadaqat al-Fitr) is a mandatory charity of food or its cash equivalent, given by every Muslim who has means, before the Eid al-Fitr prayer at the end of Ramadan. Unlike annual Zakat, which is calculated on wealth held for a lunar year, Zakat al-Fitr is a fixed, per-person obligation tied specifically to the end of the fasting month.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory — a sa’ of dates or a sa’ of barley — upon every Muslim, young and old, male and female, free and slave, and he ordered that it be paid before the people go out for the Eid prayer.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1503; Sahih Muslim 984Its core purpose is twofold: to purify the fasting person from any indecent speech or shortcomings during Ramadan, and to ensure that those in need can also share in the joy of Eid without having to ask.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory as a purification for the fasting person from idle talk and indecent speech, and as food for the needy.
Sunan Abu Dawud 1609; graded Hasan by al-AlbaniZakat al-Fitr Calculator
Enter your household size and the amount you intend to pay per person. Not sure what value to use? See how the amount is determined below.
| Household members | — |
| Additional dependents | — |
| Amount per person | — |
| Total people covered | — |
This calculator provides a straightforward multiplication (people × amount) for convenience. The per-person figure is not fixed by DuaForAll — it reflects the approximate value of one sa’ (≈2.5–3 kg) of a staple food such as wheat, rice, or dates, in cash terms. Please confirm the current figure with your local mosque, Islamic center, or fiqh council, since staple food prices vary by country and year.
Who Must Pay Zakat al-Fitr?
Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory on every Muslim — male or female, young or old, free or otherwise — who possesses food/wealth beyond their basic needs and those of their dependents for the day and night of Eid. The head of household typically pays on behalf of the entire family. Use the Zakat al-Fitr calculator above to work out the exact total once you know how many household members qualify.
Every family member
Paid on behalf of oneself, spouse, and children — including newborns born before Eid prayer.
Financial capacity
Owed by anyone with surplus food/wealth beyond essential needs for one day, even if they don’t reach the Zakat wealth threshold (nisab).
Dependents you support
Some scholars extend this to elderly parents or others under one’s financial care — the household head may pay on their behalf.
Not obligatory on
Those with no surplus wealth for the day of Eid are exempt — and instead become eligible to receive it.
How the Amount Is Determined
The standard measure is one sa’ (a volume measure, roughly 2.5–3 kg) of a staple food, historically wheat, barley, dates, raisins, or dried cheese/curd — based on what was common food in Madinah at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This is the figure the Zakat al-Fitr calculator on this page asks for in its “Amount per person” field.
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We used to give it during the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as a sa’ of food, a sa’ of dates, a sa’ of barley, a sa’ of raisins, or a sa’ of dried cheese/curd.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 1506; Sahih Muslim 985Cash equivalent — the four-madhab view
Hanafi
Permits paying the cash value directly, calculated on the market price of wheat/flour (often the lowest of the staple options), making cash payment widely practiced among Hanafi-majority communities.
Maliki
Requires payment in food (staple grain/dates), not cash, except in cases of genuine necessity as judged by local scholars.
Shafi’i
Requires payment in kind (actual food) as the primary ruling; cash is only a last resort where food distribution is impractical.
Hanbali
Similarly emphasizes food over cash, following the literal wording of the hadith on sa’ of food, though many contemporary Hanbali scholars permit cash for ease of distribution.
Because rulings and local staple-food prices differ, DuaForAll recommends checking the specific sa’ value and cash equivalent announced by your country’s fiqh council or local mosque each Ramadan, and using the figure in this Zakat al-Fitr calculator’s “Amount per person” field.
When to Pay Zakat al-Fitr
Timing matters as much as the amount: pay too late and it no longer counts as Zakat al-Fitr. Run the Zakat al-Fitr calculator above as soon as your local mosque announces the per-person figure, so your payment is ready well before the deadline below.
Zakat al-Fitr Timeline
From permissible to obligatory
Early Ramadan
Permissible to pay from the 1st–2nd day of Ramadan, for easier planning and distribution.
Last Days of Ramadan
Most commonly paid, allowing recipients to prepare for Eid in advance.
Night Before Eid
Preferred window for many — after Maghrib on the last day of Ramadan.
Before Eid Prayer
Obligatory deadline — must be paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer begins.
After Eid Prayer
Counted as ordinary charity (sadaqah), not Zakat al-Fitr, per the hadith below.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Whoever pays it before the [Eid] prayer, it is an accepted Zakat, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is [treated as] one of the ordinary charities.”
Sunan Abu Dawud 1609; graded Hasan by al-AlbaniWho Receives Zakat al-Fitr?
The primary and most emphasized recipient is the poor and needy (al-fuqara’ wal-masakin), so that they too can celebrate Eid without needing to ask for help. Most scholars restrict Zakat al-Fitr specifically to this category, distinguishing it from general Zakat, which covers all eight categories mentioned in Surah at-Tawbah (9:60). If you’re distributing to several families, the Zakat al-Fitr calculator above can help you plan the total before you divide it up.
Local poor families
Priority is generally given to needy people in one’s own city or community.
Relatives in need
Needy relatives (outside one’s direct financial dependents) may be given priority, as this combines charity with maintaining family ties.
Refugees & displaced Muslims
Increasingly directed toward Muslims affected by conflict or displacement, via trusted relief organizations.
Rulings on cash vs. in-kind payment can vary by local fatwa council — always confirm your community’s current guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, according to the Hanafi madhab, cash equivalent to the value of a sa’ of staple food is fully valid and is the most widely practiced method today. The Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali schools generally prefer payment in kind (actual food), permitting cash mainly out of necessity. Whichever value you use, enter it into the Zakat al-Fitr calculator above to see your household’s total. Follow whichever approach your local scholars and community recommend.
Yes. The father (or guardian) pays on behalf of every dependent in the household, including infants, since the obligation in the hadith explicitly includes “young and old.” Include every dependent as a household member when you use the Zakat al-Fitr calculator above.
Based on the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas, payment after the Eid prayer is still recommended and accepted, but it is then counted as general charity (sadaqah) rather than Zakat al-Fitr specifically. It’s still important to pay it as soon as possible.
There is no single global figure — it depends on the local price of staple food (roughly 2.5–3 kg of wheat, rice, or a similar staple) and is announced yearly by fiqh councils and mosques. Use the Zakat al-Fitr calculator above with the exact figure your local mosque publishes.
No. Annual Zakat is calculated as roughly 2.5% of wealth held above the nisab threshold for a full lunar year. Zakat al-Fitr is a small, fixed, per-person amount tied only to the end of Ramadan, which is exactly what the Zakat al-Fitr calculator on this page is built for. Use our Zakat Calculator for annual wealth Zakat.
Sources & Further Reading
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