Question:
If sadaqatul fitr should be given to poor person before Eid Salah, then why do masjids collect it on the day of Eid and what happens to it?
Answer:
بسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
In principle, it is mustahab (desirable) to give the Sadaqatul Fitr before the Eid Ul-Fitr prayer on the day of Eid. It is also permissible to pay it anytime before the day of Eid. Delaying it till after the day of Eid is makrooh.
وَيُسْتَحَبُّ إخْرَاجُهَا قَبْلَ الْخُرُوجِ إلَى الْمُصَلَّى بَعْدَ طُلُوعِ فَجْرِ الْفِطْرِ) عَمَلًا بِأَمْرِهِ وَفِعْلِهِ - ) الدر المختار:2/367 ط المعرفة )
ويستحب للناس أن يخرجوا الفطرة يوم الفطر قبل الخروج إلى المصلى ( مختصر القدوري: 236 ط بشرى )
وصح أداؤها إذا قدمه على يوم الفطر أو أخره) الدر المختار:2/367 ط المعرفة )
فإن قدموها قبل يوم الفطر جاز وإن أخروها عن يوم الفطر لم تسقط وكان عليهم إخراجها ( مختصر القدوري: 236 ط بشرى )
وصح لو قدم أو أخر والتأخير مكروه ( مراقي الفلاح: ص725 )
(Ahsanul Fatawaa 4/384, Aap ke masaail 5/190)
If one is sending his sadaqatul fitr overseas, then it will be preferable for him to send it before Eid Ul-Fitr so that the destitute can spend on themselves and their families on the day of Eid.
النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أمر بزكاة الفطر قبل خروج الناس إلى الصلاة
قوله: (أمر) ، ظاهره يقتضي وجوب الأداء قبل صلاة العيد، ولكنه محمول على الاستحباب، وذلك ليحصل الغناء للفقراء في هذا اليوم ويستريحون عن الطواف
(9/118) كتاب عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري - المكتبة الشاملة
There are many rewards for giving the Sadaqatul Fitr before the Eid prayer:
َعَنِ اِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اَللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: { فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم -زَكَاةَ اَلْفِطْرِ; طُهْرَةً لِلصَّائِمِ مِنَ اَللَّغْوِ, وَالرَّفَثِ, وَطُعْمَةً لِلْمَسَاكِينِ, فَمَنْ أَدَّاهَا قَبْلَ اَلصَّلَاةِ فَهِيَ زَكَاةٌ مَقْبُولَةٌ, وَمَنْ أَدَّاهَا بَعْدَ اَلصَّلَاةِ فَهِيَ صَدَقَةٌ مِنَ اَلصَّدَقَاتِ. }
Ibn ’Abbas (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) enjoined Zakat-ul-fitr on the one who fasts (i.e. fasted during the month of Ramadan) to purify him from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy. Whoever pays it before the (Eid) salat, it will be an accepted zakat (i.e. he will get the reward of paying zakat). Whoever pays if after the (Eid) salat, it will be (counted as) a sadaqa (i.e. voluntary charity). ( Abu Dawud)
Regarding why some mosques collect the Sadaqatul Fitr on the day of Eid, it is for those people who have not paid it yet. Because paying sadaqatul fitr is compulsory, one must exercise precaution. Therefore, if one is giving one’s sadaqatul fitr to a middleman, whether an individual or an organisation, he should ascertain that they are reliable and that they handover the money to eligible recipients. It’s not permissible for an organisation to spend sadaqatul fitr on the running costs and expenses of the organisation.
Regarding your question that what happens to the money given to masjids for sadaqatul fitr, you should direct this question to the relevant people connected to the masjid.
And Allah Ta'ala knows best.
Sh. Mohammad Motaz Siddiqui
Student, Darul Ifta Australia
25/07/2022
Checked and approved by:
Mufti Faizal Riza
Darul Ifta Australia