When is the right time and where can you pay zakat fitrah online?
Unlike the usual months, Ramadan is a holy month full of blessings. The month of Ramadan is also a special month because it is the best time for Muslims to increase their rewards, ask forgiveness, and remove sins.
In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah said, “Indeed, a month full of blessings has come to you. Allah obliges you to fast, because the gates of heaven are opened, the gates of hell are closed, and the devils are shackled, and there will be a night that is worth more than a thousand months. Whoever does not succeed in obtaining his goodness, indeed he will not get it forever." (HR Ahmad, An-Nasa'l, and Baihaqi)
In addition to fasting and tarawih prayers, there are also other practices that can help Muslims to purify themselves, namely by performing and paying zakat fitrah.
Zakat fitrah is zakat that must be paid by a Muslim who is able to fulfill it. Zakat fitrah is issued once a year, namely in the month of Ramadan. The obligation to pay zakat fitrah starts from the beginning of Ramadan until the last fast before performing the Eid prayer.
The purpose of paying zakat fitrah is to cleanse oneself from after fasting in the month of Ramadan, as well as a form of concern for the underprivileged so that they can share happiness on the day of victory.
Payment of zakat fitrah in the form of rice or staple food as much as one sha' or is estimated to be equivalent to 2.5 kg or 3.5 liters for each person. The amount of one sha' can be replaced with money equivalent to the price of basic food.
However, because the price of staple food varies from region to region, it can follow the amount of zakat fitrah set by the Amil Zakat Agency for each province or district.
Based on the hadith narrated by Tirmidhi, there are several times for the implementation of zakat fitrah:
Mubah time: at the beginning of the month of Ramadan until the last day of Ramadan.
Mandatory time: at sunset on the last day of Ramadan towards Eid.
Sunnah time: when the Fajr prayer is over and before the Eid prayer.
Makruh time: after Eid prayer, and before sunset on Eid Al-Fitr.
Haram time: after sunset on Eid al-Fitr.
So, the best time to pay zakat fitrah is right before the Eid prayer. If the Eid prayer time passes, the payment of zakat fitrah is makruh and haram.
Payment of zakat fitrah can also be done online. If a muzaki (person who pays zakat) submits his zakat online to the amil zakat institution, then his zakat is still valid.
When a muzaki intends to pay zakat, then the law is valid.
Paying zakat online also has several benefits, such as being able to be done anytime and anywhere, making it easier for Amil to make zakat financial reports transparently and have proof of transfer. Zakat management institutions can also distribute zakat funds more quickly to mustahiq.