Zakat al-Fitr (Fitrana) Guide 2027: Amount, Who Pays and Deadline
Quick answer: Zakat al-Fitr, called Fitrana in South Asia, is a fixed charity of about 2.5 to 3 kg of staple food — or its local cash value where that is allowed — paid for every person in the household before the Eid prayer. Eid al-Fitr 2027 is expected on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March, subject to moon sighting.
What is Zakat al-Fitr and why is it paid?
Zakat al-Fitr is the charity every Muslim household gives at the end of Ramadan, before Eid. Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, made it obligatory as a purification for the fasting person from idle talk and mistakes, and as food for the poor.
Those two purposes explain its design. It closes Ramadan by making up for the fast's shortcomings, and it ensures that on Eid morning — a day of eating, new clothes and celebration — poor families also have food and are not left asking others.
Who must pay Fitrana?
According to the majority of scholars, every Muslim who possesses food or wealth beyond what they and their dependants need for the day and night of Eid must pay Zakat al-Fitr. Unlike annual Zakat, there is no nisab of wealth held for a year and no minimum age.
In practice the head of the household pays on behalf of everyone they support: spouse, young children and dependants living with them. Adult children who are independent usually pay for themselves. Schools differ on some details, such as paying for an unborn child, which some scholars recommend as voluntary, not obligatory.
How much is Fitrana per person?
The classical measure is one sa' of staple food per person — the food people actually live on in your place, such as wheat, rice, dates or barley. Scholars convert one sa' to roughly 2.5 to 3 kilograms, with slight differences between schools and between types of food.
Can you pay money instead? The Hanafi position permits paying the cash value of the staple food, and argues it may benefit the poor more. Many other scholars prefer that food itself be given. In practice, mosques and fatwa bodies in many countries publish an official per-person cash rate each Ramadan — check the local rate announced for 2027 where you live, and use our Fitrana calculator to total it for your household.
- Count every person you are paying for, including children
- Multiply by the local per-person rate for 2027, or by about 2.5–3 kg of staple food
- Pay early enough in the last days of Ramadan for it to reach recipients before Eid
When must Fitrana be paid?
It may be paid during Ramadan, and many scholars allow paying a day or two before Eid so charities can distribute it in time. The clear deadline is the Eid prayer itself: the hadith of Ibn Abbas states that whoever pays it before the prayer, it is accepted as Zakat al-Fitr, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it counts as ordinary sadaqah.
That does not mean a late payment is worthless — it is still charity and scholars say the obligation should still be discharged — but it loses its specific status. With Eid al-Fitr expected on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027, subject to moon sighting, aim to pay by the last fast at the very latest.
Who receives Zakat al-Fitr?
Fitrana goes to the poor and needy — the same first categories of Zakat recipients — so that they can share in Eid. It should not be given to people you are obliged to support, such as your parents or your own children, following the same principle as annual Zakat.
Give it locally where possible, through people or organisations who actually know poor households, unless need is greater elsewhere. If you pay via a charity or mosque collection, pay early: they can only distribute food or money before Eid if they receive it before Eid.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is leaving Fitrana until after the Eid prayer, when it no longer counts as Fitrana. The second is paying only for yourself and forgetting dependants. The third is guessing an amount from a previous year or another country instead of checking the current local rate.
Fitrana is also separate from your annual Zakat on wealth. Paying Fitrana does not reduce your Zakat, and paying Zakat in Ramadan does not cover Fitrana. Treat them as two distinct items on your end-of-Ramadan checklist and keep a note of both payments.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Fitrana in 2027?
The amount is one sa' per person — about 2.5 to 3 kg of a local staple food. Where cash payment is followed, mosques and fatwa bodies publish a per-person cash rate for their country each Ramadan, based on local food prices. Check the rate announced for 2027 where you live, then multiply by the number of people you pay for.
Do I pay Fitrana for my children?
Yes. The head of household pays for dependants, including young children, according to the majority of scholars. There is no minimum age for the person on whose behalf it is paid, unlike annual Zakat, which is tied to owning wealth. Independent adult children normally arrange their own Fitrana.
What happens if I pay Fitrana after the Eid prayer?
According to the hadith of Ibn Abbas, it is then counted as ordinary sadaqah rather than accepted Zakat al-Fitr. Scholars still advise paying it, because the obligation remains, but you lose the specific reward and purpose of Fitrana. Set a reminder for the last two days of Ramadan to avoid this.
Can Fitrana be paid in cash?
This is a genuine scholarly difference. The Hanafi school permits paying the cash value, and many fatwa bodies issue cash rates on that basis; other schools hold that staple food itself should be given. In most cities both options exist through different mosques and charities, so follow the position you trust and pay before the Eid prayer either way.
When is the Fitrana deadline in 2027?
Before the Eid al-Fitr prayer, which is expected on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027, subject to the sighting of the Shawwal moon. Because charities need time to distribute, most scholars encourage paying during the last few days of Ramadan rather than on Eid morning itself.