Zakat Al Fitr Calculator
Calculate your Zakat al-Fitr (Fitrana) obligation for Ramadan based on family size and local staple food prices. Determine per-person and total amounts.
Zakat Al Fitr Calculator
Calculator
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Formula: Total Zakat al-Fitr = Number of Family Members × 2.5 kg × Price per kg
Worked example — Total Zakat al-Fitr: $6.25 (12.5 kg of wheat)
Formula
Total Zakat al-Fitr = Number of Family Members × 2.5 kg × Price per kg
Each person in the household must give one Sa' (approximately 2.5 kg) of a local staple food or its monetary equivalent. Multiply the per-person amount by the number of family members including dependents to get the total Zakat al-Fitr obligation.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Family of Five — Wheat
Problem:A family of 5 members wants to pay Zakat al-Fitr using wheat flour priced at $0.50 per kg in their locality.
Solution:Per person = 2.5 kg × $0.50 = $1.25 Total food = 2.5 kg × 5 = 12.5 kg Total amount = $1.25 × 5 = $6.25
Result:Total Zakat al-Fitr: $6.25 (12.5 kg of wheat)
Example 2: Family of Three — Dates
Problem:A family of 3 wants to give Zakat al-Fitr in dates, priced at $3.00 per kg.
Solution:Per person = 2.5 kg × $3.00 = $7.50 Total food = 2.5 kg × 3 = 7.5 kg Total amount = $7.50 × 3 = $22.50
Result:Total Zakat al-Fitr: $22.50 (7.5 kg of dates)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Zakat al-Fitr and why is it obligatory?
Zakat al-Fitr (also called Sadaqat al-Fitr or Fitrana) is an obligatory charitable payment made at the end of Ramadan before the Eid al-Fitr prayer. It was prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a means of purifying the fasting person from idle talk and obscene speech during Ramadan, and as a way to provide food for the needy so they can also celebrate Eid. It is obligatory on every Muslim who possesses food beyond their needs for the day of Eid, and must be paid on behalf of all dependents including children and elderly family members.
How much is Zakat al-Fitr per person?
The standard amount of Zakat al-Fitr is one Sa' of staple food per person. A Sa' is an ancient Arabian unit of measurement approximately equal to 2.5 to 3 kilograms depending on the type of food. The Hadith mentions specific foods like dates, barley, wheat, and raisins. In modern practice, many scholars allow paying the monetary equivalent based on the local price of the chosen staple food. The head of the household must pay for themselves and every dependent, including newborn children, elderly parents under their care, and any family member they are financially responsible for.
When should Zakat al-Fitr be paid?
Zakat al-Fitr must be paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer. The preferred time is one or two days before Eid, as the companions of the Prophet used to give it during this period. It can also be paid at the beginning of Ramadan according to some scholars, particularly the Shafi'i school, to ensure it reaches the needy in time. Paying it after the Eid prayer without a valid excuse is considered a regular charity (sadaqah) rather than Zakat al-Fitr, as stated in the hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas. Early payment ensures recipients can use it for their Eid celebrations.
Can Zakat al-Fitr be paid in cash instead of food?
This is a matter of scholarly difference. The Hanafi school permits paying the monetary equivalent of the staple food, arguing that the purpose is to meet the needs of the poor and cash may be more beneficial in modern times. The Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools traditionally prefer giving actual food, based on the hadith that specifies food items. Many contemporary scholars and organizations accept cash payments, especially in urban settings where food distribution is impractical. The important thing is to ensure the charity reaches those in need before Eid prayer time and serves the purpose of enabling them to celebrate Eid.
Who are the eligible recipients of Zakat al-Fitr?
The primary recipients of Zakat al-Fitr are the poor and needy (fuqara and masakin), which are the first two categories mentioned in the Quran for Zakat recipients in Surah At-Tawbah (9:60). Some scholars limit Zakat al-Fitr to only these two categories, while others apply all eight categories of Zakat recipients. The priority is to distribute it locally within your community so that local poor and needy individuals can benefit from it on Eid day. It should be given to those who do not have sufficient food or means for the day of Eid. It cannot be given to one's own dependents or direct family members whom one is obligated to support financially.
Why do published Sa' weights differ when the Sa' itself is fixed?
The Sa' is a measure of volume, not mass — classically four mudd, a mudd being what can be held in two cupped hands. Converting a fixed volume into kilograms depends on the bulk density of whatever fills it, so the same Sa' weighs less in light barley than in dense wheat or in dates. That is why reputable sources publish figures spanning roughly 2.1 to 3 kilograms without contradicting each other. Zakat Al Fitr Calculator uses 2.5 kilograms per person as a working figure; if your local mosque publishes a weight for your chosen staple, use theirs.
How is Zakat al-Fitr different from the annual Zakat al-Mal?
They are separate obligations with different triggers. Zakat al-Mal is levied on accumulated wealth at 2.5 percent, applies only once holdings exceed nisab and have been held for a lunar year, and scales with how rich you are. Zakat al-Fitr is a fixed per-head amount tied to the end of Ramadan, owed by rich and poor alike provided you have food surplus to your needs on the day of Eid, and does not scale with wealth at all. Paying one does not discharge the other.
Who exactly counts toward the family member total?
Count yourself and everyone you are financially responsible for on the day the obligation falls: spouse, minor children, and dependent parents or relatives in your care. The schools differ on the exact moment the obligation attaches: the Shafi'i and Hanbali position is sunset on the last day of Ramadan, while the Hanafi position is dawn on the day of Eid. On the first view a child born during the night of Eid is excluded; on the Hanafi view that child is included. Follow the position your local scholars apply, and count whoever was your dependant at that moment. Adults with their own means may pay for themselves; the head of the household commonly pays on their behalf with their consent, which is equally valid.
Which staple should I price when my household's food is not on the list?
Choose the grain or dried food that is actually the staple where you live, since the aim is to give the poor of your locality something they will genuinely eat. The choice matters financially: the same one Sa' priced as wheat rather than raisins can differ several times over, because the fixed quantity is measured in food rather than money. Enter your own local price per kilogram rather than relying on the default, and if your community has set a single fitrana figure for the year, that figure takes precedence.
How do I pay on time if I am donating through a charity that distributes overseas?
Give the charity your payment early enough that it can reach recipients before the Eid prayer, since a distribution arriving afterwards counts as ordinary sadaqah rather than as Zakat al-Fitr. In practice this means appointing the organisation as your agent, or wakil, several days before Eid — many collect from the middle of Ramadan for exactly this reason. Ask specifically whether the organisation buys and distributes food locally in the recipient country and by what date it completes distribution, rather than assuming a donation made on the night before Eid will arrive in time.
References
Reviewed for accuracy by Daniel Agrici, Founder & Lead Developer · Editorial policy
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