Various grand ayatollahs announce rate of zakat al-fitrah

Rasa - Various sources of emulation have announced their opinions on the amount of “zakat al-fitrah” that should be paid by Muslims this year on the upcoming occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

News ID: 964

Date: 26 July 2014 - 22:19

Rasa News Agency reports – Grand Ayatollahs Sayyed Ali Khamenei, Lotfollah Safi-Golpaygani, Vahid Khorasani, Mousa Shobeyri-Zanjani, Hoseyn Nouri-Hamadani, Sayyed Ali Sistani, Naser Makarem-Shirazi, Ja’far Sobhani, Abdollah Javadi-Amoli, Sayyed Mohammad-Ali Alavi-Gorgani and Sayyed Abdol-Karim Mousavi-Ardabili have announced their opinions on the amount of “zakat al-fitrah” that should be paid by Muslims this year on the upcoming occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

“Zakat al-Fitrah” is a religious tax or alms (zakat) that must be paid on Eid al-Fitr, the day of celebration when Muslims break the fasting period after the end of the holy month of Ramadhan. According to Islamic jurisprudence, the amount of zakat al-fitrah is based the weight of three kilograms of any food commodity like wheat, barley, rice, millet, raisins or dates.

According to the head of legal questions at Ayatollah Khamenei’s office in the holy city of Qom, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei has set the amount of zakat al-fitrah in Tehran at 50,000 rials (about $1.59) and for other cities it will be 45,000 rials (about $1.43 US). This is if the staple food is wheat. If the main staple food is rice, then the price equal to three kilograms of rice at the common rate should be paid.

Ayatollah Safi-Golpaygani’s ruling is that the about of zakat al-fitrah is equal to the amount of three kilograms of any common food staple.

The office of Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani said about the amount of zakat al-fitrah: “Zakat al-Fitrah is equal to three kilograms of wheat. This year, 50,000 rials should be paid as zakat al-fitrah. The amount equal to three kilograms of rice should be paid as zakat al-fitrah.

Ayatollah Shobeyri-Zanjani has announced that this year the price of zakat al-fitrah is based on the price of wheat. For every person it will be 40,000 rials.

Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani has announced that zakat al-fitrah will be 45,000 rials based on the price of wheat. Based on the price of rice, zakat al-fitrah will be 150,000 rials ($3.62) per person.

The office of Ayatollah Sistani has stated that zakat al-fitrah is 2,000 Iraqi dinars ($1.71) or 50,000 Iranian rials.

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi has announced that based on the price of wheat, zakat al-fitrah is set at 45,000 rials and based on the price of rice, it will be 150,000 rials.

In an interview with Rasa News Agency Ayatollah Ja’far Sobhani said in regards to this years’ zakat al-fitrah rate: “Those whose financial situation is not good, can give 40,000 rials but others should pay 45,000.”

Ayatollah Mazaheri has announced a zakat al-fitrah rate of 40,000 rials per person. Those whose staple food is rice, must pay an amount of 150,000 rials per person.

Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli has said: “Zakat al-Fitrah for those whose staple food is bread, should base their payable zakat on the price of three kilograms of wheat, and those whose staple food is rice should base their payable zakat on the price of three kilograms of rice. If the local common food staple is something else, than zakat al-fitrah should be based on the price of three kilograms of whatever the local food staple is.”

Ayatollah Alavi-Gorgani has announced a zakat al-fitrah rate of 50,000 rials per person. Those whose staple food is rice, must pay an amount of 150,000 rials per person.

Ayatollah Mousavi-Ardabili has announced a zakat al-fitrah rate of 40,000 rials per person based on wheat. In regards to rice, His Eminence has based that zakat al-fitrah should be based on the buying and selling rate of three kilograms of rice in that locality.

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