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Who Needs to Pay Fitrana?
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Who Needs to Pay Fitrana?

Understand who must pay Fitrana, when it is due, and how this obligation ensures support for those in need before Eid.

Who Is Obliged to Pay Fitrana?

Fitrana is an obligation, but does every Muslim have to pay it? You might be wondering whether you or certain members of your family are required to give to this charity at the end of Ramadan. In this article, we’ll outline exactly who needs to pay Fitrana (Zakat al-Fitr) and who doesn’t. The rules are actually quite simple and meant to ensure that as many people as possible contribute to helping the less fortunate on Eid. By understanding the eligibility criteria, you can make sure you fulfil your duty on behalf of yourself and anyone you’re responsible for.

In Islam, every Muslim who has the means to do so is obliged to pay Fitrana for themselves. The criterion for “having the means” is very basic: if on the day of Eid you have more food (or wealth) than you and your family need for that day, then you are considered capable of giving Fitrana. In classical terms, this is often described as having at least one sā‘ of food beyond your own needs. A sā‘, recall, is about 2.5 kg of staple food; basically, if you have enough provisions that a small portion can be shared without causing you hardship, you must share it. Another way to look at it: if you are not classified as poor (destitute) by Islamic standards on that day, you should pay. This means the vast majority of Muslim adults do have to pay Fitrana, because even if you’re not wealthy, as long as you aren’t literally without any food or money, this charity is due. Importantly, the obligation is not limited to those who fasted. Even if someone didn’t fast (for valid reasons like illness) or neglected fasting (though that’s a separate issue), they still owe Fitrana as long as they are Muslim and meet the basic wealth condition. Fitrana is tied to the person, not their fasting record. Additionally, the responsibility extends to the heads of households to cover everyone under their care (more on that below). To summarise: if you’re a Muslim and you can afford your day-to-day meals, you need to pay Fitrana for yourself. It’s as straightforward as that. There’s no complicated nisab threshold like there is for annual Zakat (with calculations for gold, silver, etc.). Even a relatively poor person who perhaps isn’t eligible to pay Zakat on wealth might still have to pay Fitrana because the bar is simply owning some extra food or a small amount of money. It’s a beautiful aspect of Fitrana; it encourages universal participation in charity. That said, those who literally have nothing extra, e.g., a refugee who doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from, are the ones exempt (and indeed should be receiving Fitrana from others).

Paying on Behalf of Family Members

One special aspect of Fitrana is that you pay on behalf of each member of your household. In practice, this often means the head of the family (like the father or mother, or whoever earns in the family) will calculate and pay the total for everyone under their roof. This includes:

  • Children: All your children, whether they are toddlers or teenagers, need to have Fitrana paid for them. They might not have their own money, so the parent/guardian covers it. Even a baby born before Eid day should have Fitrana paid (if born after sunset on the last day of Ramadan, they are usually counted for next year instead). For example, if you welcomed a newborn on the 28th of Ramadan, you’ll pay an extra share for that baby as well.

 

  • Spouse: Generally, the earning or financially responsible spouse pays for the non-earning spouse. In many cultures, the husband will pay for his wife’s Fitrana. If the wife is financially independent or wants to pay her own, that’s fine too. The key is simply that each person’s Fitrana is covered by someone. There’s no double-paying; one share per person is enough (so if the wife ends up paying for herself, the husband doesn’t have to include her, and vice versa). Communicate and ensure it’s done either way.
  • Elderly Parents or Relatives: If you have elderly parents living with you who depend on you for care or finances, you should pay Fitrana for them as well, provided they are Muslim. Similarly, if you have any dependent relatives (like a disabled sibling you support, or any relative under your full care), include them. Essentially, anyone whose living expenses you cover should be on your Fitrana list.

 

  • Dependents Away from Home: What about a child studying abroad or a spouse temporarily in another city? If you still financially support them, you’d typically pay for them too. However, if they are adults earning their own livelihood, they would pay their own Fitrana, even if you occasionally assist them. It boils down to financial dependency and who is considered the provider.

 

  • Non-Muslim Family Members: Fitrana is only obligatory for Muslims. So, if someone has, say, a non-Muslim spouse or adopted child who isn’t Muslim, you do not pay Fitrana for those individuals (and they are not expected to pay it either, since it’s an act of Islamic worship). Instead, you can always give general charity on their behalf if you wish, but it’s not Fitrana.

It’s a collective obligation on the family unit to ensure everyone’s share is paid. Often, it’s easiest for one person to handle the whole sum. For example, a father might say, “We have 5 of us, so I’ll just pay 5× the amount in one go.” In other families, each earning member might handle their own, like a working teenager might pay their own £5. Both approaches are valid as long as no one gets left out. If multiple people pitch in, just coordinate to avoid double-paying or missing someone. The rationale for paying for every member is that each individual contributes to the Eid happiness of others. Even a 3-year-old “gives” (via their guardian) so a needy child elsewhere can have a meal. It instils the value that, from a young age, all of us are part of supporting the community. It also levels the playing field: a household of 8 gives more than a household of 2, which makes sense, as the larger family likely consumes more and has greater collective capacity. By paying on behalf of dependents, you are essentially representing them in this charitable act. This guardianship role is an honour and a duty. And remember, if someone else is covering your Fitrana (like a parent for a child), it doesn’t lessen the reward for the family; it’s shared in goodness.

Who Is Exempt from Fitrana?

While Fitrana is widely obligatory, there are indeed cases of exemption. You do not need to pay Fitrana if you genuinely do not meet the minimum condition of having any surplus. Here are examples of exemptions:

  • The Destitute and Poor: If a person/family is so poor that they don’t even have enough food for themselves for the day of Eid, they are exempt from giving Fitrana. In fact, they are the ones who should be receiving Fitrana from others. Islam never requires charity from someone who themselves is eligible to receive charity. So, if you know a Muslim who literally lives meal-to-meal or is in debt and can’t make ends meet, they do not need to worry about paying Fitrana. For instance, a refugee who has nothing but donated rations, or a homeless person, they are not expected to give.
  • Those in Severe Hardship: Perhaps someone normally could afford it, but due to a disaster or emergency right at Ramadan’s end, they lost what they had. For example, someone’s small amount of money was stolen the day before Eid, and now they have nothing – that person would be temporarily exempt, because at the moment of Eid they have no extra. Such situations are rare, but it’s about the state at that time. If, on Eid, you truly have nothing spare, you’re exempt.

 

  • Non-Muslims: As mentioned, non-Muslims are not obligated to pay Fitrana, since it’s an act of worship legislated for Muslims. (Though, interestingly, in Islamic history, non-Muslim citizens had their own tax called jizya, but that’s unrelated to Fitrana.) In a contemporary sense, a non-Muslim in a Muslim household can’t be obligated for a religious duty they don’t believe in. However, some non-Muslim family members might still donate something out of goodwill – that’s fine, but it’s not “Fitrana” per se.

 

  • Children or Dependents Without Means: This is a bit technical: if a child has their own wealth (e.g., a trust fund or inheritance), their Fitrana could be paid from that property. But usually, children’s finances are managed by guardians. Regardless, the obligation is not on the child directly, but on their guardian. So a young child is “exempt” in the sense that they personally don’t pay; their guardian covers it. The same goes for someone who is mentally not capable of understanding or handling finances; the guardian pays on their behalf if the ward has wealth, or from the guardian’s own funds if they support them. Essentially, those who cannot carry out the act themselves due to age or incapacity are not personally accountable; their caretakers address it on their behalf.

 

  • Extremely Insolvent Individuals: Think of someone who might have some assets, but they are outweighed by debts or immediate needs. If, after balancing everything, they truly can’t spare the Fitrana amount, they’re exempt. For example, a person might have some food, but they know that giving any of it away means their child will go hungry tomorrow; they are not required to do so. The Shari’ah is merciful and prioritises one’s own survival.

It’s worth noting that because the bar for paying Fitrana is so low, actual exemptions (aside from obvious cases of poverty) are few. Most working-class families can and do pay it. It’s sometimes more of a mental block (“I’m struggling with bills, do I still have to pay?”). If you have enough for food, yes, you should still pay, because that £5 is meant to help someone in an even tighter spot. Many scholars say that if you even have some basic jewellery or an extra piece of clothing you could sell to raise the Fitrana, you should, unless doing so leaves you destitute. The idea is to include as many people as possible as givers so that everyone shares in the blessing, and the collective fund for the poor is large. If you’re unsure whether you qualify as “poor enough” to skip Fitrana, chances are you probably are supposed to pay. A good rule of thumb: if you didn’t find yourself scrambling for food today, you should give. But if you truly were in dire need, then accept that Islam has excused you and instead seek assistance.

Fitrana: A Universal Duty in the Community

By now, it’s clear that Fitrana casts a wide net of responsibility. It’s almost universal among Muslims, which is by design. The community-oriented philosophy here is that everyone helps everyone. Even the “poor” help those who are “poorer” in some cases. This universality fosters empathy; when each person gives, they understand the importance of caring for others. It prevents a scenario in which only the wealthy donate, and the rest feel disengaged. In Islam, even a modest-income person, a student, or a labourer contributes their mite. This fosters a sense of ummah (community), where we all share the responsibility of caring for the less fortunate. In a mosque gathering on Eid, theoretically,y almost everyone there has given Fitrana, whether they drove up in a luxury car or took the bus. That’s a powerful equaliser and a reminder that charity isn’t just the domain of the rich; it’s the calling of every believer. Moreover, the simplicity of who pays Fitrana means there’s little room for loopholes or avoidance. It’s not tied to complex calculations of savings or investments. It’s very tangible – do you have food? Yes? Then give a bit so someone else can too. Because of this, the culture in Muslim communities is to simply expect that everyone does it (unless they literally can’t). It’s often taught to kids early on: “We always give this charity at Ramadan’s end.” This ingrains generosity as a norm rather than an exception. For those who are exempt due to genuine hardship, the community’s duty shifts to caring for them, ensuring they’re the ones Fitrana goes to. It’s beautiful how the obligation of some becomes the right of others. The goal is that come Eid morning, the givers and receivers are all celebrating together, with the givers having done their part and the receivers having their needs met. In summary, the duty to pay Fitrana falls on virtually all Muslims who have been blessed with any level of comfort. If you’re reading this, chances are high that you do need to pay it, and that’s a blessing, because it means you have enough to share. Embrace it as a universal pillar of the Ramadan experience, one that ties you to millions of others in charity and compassion.

Internal Links: To ensure you give the right amount per person, check our article on How Much Is Fitrana in the UK?. And since you’ll be paying for your whole family, you should also know When to Pay Fitrana so that you fulfil the duty on time for everyone involved.

FAQs:

  • Do children have to pay Fitrana?
    Children don’t pay it themselves, but yes, Fitrana must be paid on behalf of every Muslim child. Parents or guardians are responsible for including their children in the calculation of Fitrana. For example, if you have two young children, you add two extra shares of Fitrana to your payment for them. Even infants born before Eid should have Fitrana paid for them (by the parents). This ensures the whole family contributes.
  • I’m a student with no income; do I need to pay Fitrana?
    If you’re financially dependent (say, on parents), your guardian should cover your Fitrana. But if you’re an adult student with some savings or allowance that covers your needs, you likely should pay it. The question to ask is: do you have a bit of money or food beyond your immediate needs? If yes, go ahead and give the small Fitrana amount. If your budget is so tight that paying £5 would leave you hungry, then you’re exempt. Most students find they can manage it, even from pocket money.
  • Do non-fasting individuals (due to pregnancy, illness, etc.) have to pay Fitrana?
    Yes. Fitrana isn’t contingent on having fasted. It’s required of any Muslim who is financially capable at the end of Ramadan. So, if you didn’t fast for a valid reason, like pregnancy or illness, you still pay Fitrana. It’s a separate obligation from fasting. In fact, even someone who missed fasting without excuse (though that’s not good) must still pay Fitrana if they have the means; one duty’s lapse doesn’t cancel another.
  • Are very poor or homeless Muslims expected to give Fitrana?
    No, if someone is genuinely poor to the point they cannot afford even the small Fitrana amount, they are not required to give it. Islamic law exempts those who don’t have at least some excess beyond their basic needs. Such individuals would be recipients of Fitrana, not givers. Only those who can spare a basic meal’s worth of wealth need to pay. The threshold is quite low, but those below it (e.g., homeless people and refugees with no resources) are not burdened with this obligation.
  • Does each person pay their own Fitrana, or can one person pay for the whole family?
    One person (like the head of the household) can pay the total Fitrana for everyone in the family in one go; that’s very common. The key is that each person’s share is accounted for. It doesn’t literally have to come from each individual’s hand. So, a father or mother can pay, say, £25 to cover a family of five. Alternatively, if individuals want to pay for themselves (e.g., a working wife pays her own, a teenager pays from their allowance), that’s okay too. What matters is simply that no one is missed. Families can decide what works best, but typically the breadwinner covers everyone.

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