Suhaib Webb – Cash or Crop An Overview of The Differences of Zakt alFitr Expenditures
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Welcome now to kind of like our second
discussion around zakatul fitr, alhamdulillah. And then our
last one will be about zakat in general.
A few questions that I received about zakah
and then specifically
sending zakah overseas, especially with what's going on
in, the Congo, in Sudan, and in Gaza.
So as we approach EAT, wrapping up this
blessed month of Ramadan, what we talk about
now is this kind of debate
about
giving zakatul fitter whether with food stubs or
ketchup.
And so let's look at
these varied opinions
and the scholars who held them and see
how they're all. All of these opinions are
actually rooted in one thing, and that's the
love of the prophet and the love of
the sunnah.
We have a very important science that is
lost called
which is where you're trained how to differ
with people.
It's something that has not been taught at
El Eshar in the in the university
for for almost 3 or 4 decades.
Still, you can learn it in the Masjid.
You can learn it with some of the
scholars
but it's very important. Adeb al Bethholmanadara,
the etiquette of research and and debate what
we call
At Swiss, we touch on it, especially when
we get into our comparative fit course and
you'll see some of that today. So So
let's look at some of the variant perspectives
on the issue
that have been held by the UHMA over
the centuries. So the first opinion is the
opinion of Imam Malik, Al Shafi'i and Imam
Ibnuqoodam Al Hanbari,
and that they have leaned toward the practice
of giving in kind,
giving
food.
As was done by the prophet
and many of his companions.
They remind us that zakat al fitr is
about fulfilling an immediate need at that time
was hunger
and ensuring everyone has food for the Eid
celebrations.
Their stance is grounded in the direct example
set by the Prophet
of the hadith specifically which we quoted last
time of 'Abdu'l ibn Umar
The second opinion
is one held by the scholars of the
Hadafi school
and acted on by luminaries like Umar ibn
Abdul Khattab, Radi Allahu Anhu, and other Sahaba
and early scholars in Salaf like Umar ibn
Abdul Aziz.
And
this brings some flexibility
to the the the practice.
And they recognize the potential for monetary charity
to fill this fulfill the same goal
as food and in fact, even more so.
So when we think about PS in Usul
Ufilk analogy, we have what's called PS which
means
if we're gonna compare one thing to another
to find an analogy in law, like for
example, alcohol and marijuana.
K?
Marijuana's not mentioned. It's not texted. Alcohol is
texted,
but there's a shared trait, and that's
being intoxicated. Right?
What if the shared trait actually is stronger
in what you're comparing
Right? What you're using,
you're you're you're this is the you're comparing
this to that. So, the Quranic text, the
trait is actually less than it is on
which you're comparing it to.
So for example, for the they'll
say to your parents, well then hitting is
gonna hurt them more than saying that.
So if we take
depending on the situation that we're in, because
I wanna give you some of the Usuli
arguments for
disposition in hindsight.
Then
the
right, the reason for zakalto fitter
to satisfy
the the underserved,
to limit social stratification, economic stratification.
In some situations,
money
that Allah that cause may be more present
in money than it is in food.
Maybe now in Gaza it's in food.
But maybe some more is money so wherever
the Ilah is strongest
is going to guide
the understanding of the Mufti
and the scholar
and at a practical level
you. So when we hear like,
they did this, we don't say that's a
bidah because there's usul,
right? Bidah, innovation means there's no usul, there's
no foundation. Here, we see a foundation.
You understand?
So people like
the Hanafi School in particular, which is amazing,
brilliant,
and people like Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, Umar
Nakhotab
and some of the Sahaba.
They they saw this flexibility because of this
illah.
We say the ruling moves with its illah.
They recognize the potential for monetary charity to
fulfill the same goal, ensuring the well-being
of
the underserved Muslims on Eid. Their argument rests
on the principle that the essence
of Zakat al Fitr lies in its spirit
of support and care
which can be fulfilled through monetary means as
well. And here's another important axiom.
Al Maqasid
Tukaddam
Alawasa
Ilija.
Objectives come before their means. This is not
always applicable by the way.
It's not always applicable. But it can be
argued here. Just like people who argue for
calculations
in determining the Moon,
like doctor Youssef Al Qaradawi and others, fit
councils,
they argue with this axiom as well. Al
Ma'a'asid,
the goal
takes precedence over the means, the kaf.
So the goal, the argument
by legal jurist is some of them. That
the goal is not the food, not what
you give. The goal is to take care
of of the underserved. So since that's the
goal,
then the means are as important
as the goal.
Others argue, but the narration of
indicates like this is an obligation.
The argument is, if it was understood to
be such a definitive obligation,
then why would someone like say, or
others
have changed that.
So there's room on both sides here. Right?
The third opinion,
and this is the opinion that I follow
personally,
even though I'm Maliki,
without I'm I'm not fanatically
in line with my meth head, but I
I definitely respect and appreciate and it stick
to it as much as I can, except
when I'm answering questions, but in my own
life.
And the third opinion is considered by by
scholars like Imam Ebitaimia,
as well as others. Right? Just given I
don't wanna give a lot of names here.
Who suggests that giving money could be permissible
if it serves a greater need? And here's
kind of the argument I mentioned earlier. Right?
It's very similar to the second. The second
we're looking at hindsight. What was the philosophy
of the decision?
Imam, Evotaimi and others are saying though, like,
if you see it clearly in front of
you,
it serves a greater need or brings about
more benefit. Because the idea is that the
sharia,
this axiom, right,
is about,
to prevent harm and bring benefit.
Right? Every time you look at you, you
will lead in a amaro, oh, you who
believe you see
either a command to bring a benefit or
command to prevent harm. That's the edifice of
sharia. Jalba musarih wadal al mafesikh.
So this opinion,
championed by people like Imam Ibn Taymiyahu waheemuhullah.
And let's not get into the comments box
and start attacking personalities, man. We gotta grow
up, man. Right? We don't we don't we
need to look at people's opinions of what
they have to say. Not not not
this kind of superficial stuff, man.
Who suggests that giving money could be permissible
if it serves a greater need or brings
about the maslah,
the benefit.
This view is practically is very practical,
acknowledging that the circumstances and needs of communities
can vary greatly. And that's why it's adopted
by Dala Iftan in Egypt. Now why was
that, and other places? It suggests that the
form of our charity, whether food or money,
should ultimately serve the
the goal.
And that's to care for one another
in the best way possible. So these are
these three opinions that we talked about. Number
1 has to be with food stuffs. They
got strong evidences for that. They're gonna stick
with the blah here up the nuss.
Hey, nothing wrong with that. Number 2,
that it, you know, can be with food,
because it brings about a greater benefit.
Then you have this 3rd opinion that's very
similar to the second opinion, except it's saying,
like, if you're you're sure that the benefit
is more in this.
Right? You're sure that the people, this is
what they need.
Right? It's very close to the the third
opinion with the second opinion. This is a
little bit different.
In sharing these views, you know, my hope
is that
whatever way you feel more comfortable with, whichever
scholar you you feel comfortable with,
But then don't turn this into, we don't
need to be
sanctioning each other or rebuking each other online.
We can argue about this. It's perfectly acceptable.
We don't need to be using words like
or
fast or you're, you know, telling people that
their act wasn't acceptable.
It's too much, man. And and one of
the challenges that in many ways, America in
in in Europe in particular,
Western Europe,
is really one of the worst places where
you could have a legal religion negotiating things
because of the lack of edeb
that is found because of the cult of
individuality.
And so that's why I like to encourage
people, learn Adeb al Batool Manatana, learn Elmushilaf
before you start engaging and fighting and wanting
to show this and that and whatnot.
That's, these all three opinions have really, really
strong evidence, have really, really strong support, and
whichever one of them you follow, Alhamdulillahi, but
I don't mean the second and third is
really no difference between them. But what it
does do is our differences actually are a
reminder of the maturity
and the beauty of Islam legally, historically. We
ask