Fatwa ID: 02313

Answered by Molana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Question:

Can money given for missed qurbani in the past be given to someone in debt? Similarly can salah fidya too?

Answer:

Bismillah

Answer

• In regards to missed qurbani and the fidya or the money given, it is not permissible to give it to someone who is in debt unless they are poor or destitute and they don’t have the nisab or a threshold of wealth or asset of giving zakat (Silver: The nisab by the silver standard is 21 ounces of silver (612.36 grams) or its equivalent in cash, Gold: The nisab by the gold standard is 3 ounces of gold (87.48 grams) or its cash equivalent). 

With regards to making up (qadha) for the ritual slaughter, Imam al-Haskafi  states:

“If the ritual slaughter was not offered and the designated days have gone by, then one should give the live animal away in charity.”

Imam Ibn Abidin  comments on the above by stating:

“(His statement: “give the live animal away in charity” because one is now unable to acquire the rewards by sacrificing and slaughtering the animal. If one wishes to give the animal’s price in charity, then that will also be sufficient…” (Ahsanul Fatawa Vol, 7, Pg 480, Yahya Book Depot – (Extracted from Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 6/320)

Imam Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on him) further states that a well-off individual must give the price of the animal in the case of not purchasing an animal. However, if he had already purchased an animal, then he has a choice between giving the price of the animal or the living animal itself in charity …” (Ahsanul Fatawa Vol, 7, Pg 480, Yahya Book Depot – (Extracted from Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 6/321)

Now, what is the price that one is required to pay in charity? Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) answers this question by stating:

“The meaning of “its price” is the price of a goat that is adequate.”

Finally, the price of this goat will be that of the country where one pays the charity. If one intends to give the charity in another country, then one must ascertain the market price of a goat in that particular country, and then give the money to those entitled to receive Zakat in that area.

• In regards to Salaah: The same rule applies that this needs to be given to the poor or destitute with the intention of Fidya.

The fidyah for each missed fardh prayer and wajib prayer (witr) is to give:

  1.      Approximately 1.6kg of wheat

2.      Approximately 3.2kg of barley

 3.      Or the equivalent of the above in cash which will be between £1-£3

 (Raddul Muhtar, v.2, p.532, Darul Alimil Kutub)

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Molana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham