If you’re looking to learn more about zakat al-fitr, this article is for you! We’ll explain what is zakat al-fitr, how it’s calculated, how it differs from zakat, and how it can be collected in 2025 and beyond.
Zakat al-fitr – also called fitrana – is an important pillar of Islam required by Muslims before the Eid call to prayer near the end of Ramadan. In this article, we’ll explain what zakat al-fitr is, the rules surrounding it, and how it differs from zakat. We’ll also explain how zakat al-fitr is calculated and collected in 2025.
Let’s get started!
Zakat al-fitr, sometimes called Zakat ul-fitr or the Zakat of Breaking the Fast of Ramadan, is a charitable donation (sadaqah) or alms paid in food. In more modern times, you can also give it as money paid towards a masjid or Islamic organization that distributes food and essentials to the poor.
Zakat al-fitr rules (hadith) state that all Muslims must give this gift at the end of Ramadan – regardless of age or gender.
You must give fitrana if you live in a Muslim household and have excess food. It can also be paid by the head of the household on behalf of other family members. It must be given before the Eid prayer when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadan.
Zakat ul-fitr enables the poor and needy to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with other Muslims through prayer, communal gatherings, and a feast as part of the celebration of breaking the fast.
Zakat al-fitr is calculated based on one saa’, a measure of volume.
One saa’ of food is equivalent to four madd. One madd is how much food can be scooped up when you place your hands together. Madd is calculated based on the price of a staple food, like rice.
One saa’ is equivalent to approximately two to three kilograms of staple food. Therefore, you should pay $15 when giving zakat al-fitr (fitrana) in the U.S. in 2025.
Now that you understand what zakat al-fitr is, it’s important to explain how it’s different from zakat.
While both require Muslims to give sadaqah, they are different in certain aspects. Let’s explore the main differences based on eligibility, amount due, and due dates.
As we’ve mentioned before, all Muslims are required to pay zakat ul-fitr, unless they don’t have sufficient food available.
On the other hand, zakat is only required by Muslims whose wealth exceeds the nisab threshold value within one lunar year (based on the market value of gold).
The nisab threshold is the amount of wealth a Muslim possesses before being obligated to pay zakat. If this amount exceeds nisab for one full lunar year, you are then required to give 2.5% of that excess to the poor.
Next, let’s look at the amounts required by zakat al-fitr compared to zakat. Usually, the amount of zakat al-fitr is very small, equating to two to three kilograms of staple food. Zakat, on the other hand, can be much larger because it’s based on 2.5% of a Muslim’s total net worth.
The third difference is when zakat ul-fitr and zakat are due. Zakat al-fitr is due as the sun sets on the last day of Ramadan, at the very latest.
Zakat, on the other hand, is required to be paid after one lunar year if a Muslim’s wealth equals or surpasses the nisab value. The moment this wealth equals to or exceeds nisab, zakat is due.
There are many ways you can collect zakat al-fitr as a masjid or Islamic organization! Donorbox makes it easy for your nonprofit to help the ummah give faithfully – both online and on-location.
Let’s look at four ways you can collect this annual gift.
Donorbox’s multi-step donation forms are completely free and simplify the process of giving zakat al-fitr for your donors. Your organization can create a brand-aligned donation form and host it directly on Donorbox, or embed the form on your website.
Donorbox forms feature UltraSwift™ Pay, giving your donors a 4x faster checkout experience. Your ummah can give using fast digital wallet payment methods, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo – without needing to input their personal details!
Remember to add donation designations to allow your donors to indicate where their sadaqah should go – in this case, “zakat al-fitr” or “fitrana.” You can add multiple designations during Ramadan to make giving easier for your donors, including sadaqah, fidyah, kaffarah, and zakat.
Plus, add up to four giving intervals to your Donorbox donation form, such as one-time, daily, bi-weekly, or monthly. And, indicate your preferred interval with a heart.
See how this organization uses Donorbox to allow supporters to give zakat al-fitr:
Collect Zakat al-Fitr with Donorbox
Your donors can also choose to cover the estimated transaction fees and ensure over 90% of their zakat al-fitr is paid to your charity using our donation forms.
Plus, add various donation amounts to your form, such as $15, $30, and $45.
While zakat al-fitr has specific amounts applicable, Muslims are encouraged to give more, if they can, to receive multiplied blessings from Allah. Adding a custom donation amount option to your form is a great way to encourage this!
A donation kiosk makes it possible for your ummah to give zakat al-fitr in person when attending mosque – even when they don’t carry cash! It’s also handy during Ramadan events, like iftar fundraisers.
Donorbox Live™ Kiosk makes it easy to accept quick and cashless payments with a single tap, dip, or swipe using a credit/debit card, smartwatch, or smartphone.
All you need is an iPad or Android tablet and a card reader device. Alternatively, you can use an Android smartphone if utilizing our Tap-to-Pay feature – this will use your phone’s built-in payment feature to accept zakat al-fitr.
Then, download the Donorbox Live™ app, log in to your Donorbox account, and select the fundraising campaign you wish to use. That’s it!
You can also add donation designations, custom amounts, or a minimum/maximum donation amount to make giving easy for your ummah. Once you’ve set up your donation kiosk, place it at the entrance or exit of your mosque to quickly collect zakat al-fitr.
Looking to start fundraising in a snap? Purchase one of our all-inclusive packages to get all the hardware you need in one convenient delivery to your doorstep. Learn more.
Text-to-give encourages quick and easy giving for your ummah. After all, almost everyone has a smartphone in their pocket!
Donorbox Text-to-Give helps you mobilize your fundraising efforts and integrates seamlessly with your Donorbox account. Supporters can simply text a keyword to a shortcode number and they will receive the link to your donation form from where they can give zakat al-fitr.
Those wanting to give more after giving zakat al-fitr can simply repeat their donation via text – this time without the need for a form or website!
Bonus resource: Download our free e-book to discover eight ways text-to-give is essential to your fundraising strategy.
QR codes are a great way to quickly and securely share your masjid or Islamic charity’s zakat ul-fitr donation form.
With Donorbox, you can easily generate a free QR code for any of your fundraising campaigns. Your ummah can then scan the code to visit your donation form and pay zakat al-fitr.
For more creative ways to use QR codes, check out our ultimate guide for masjids and Islamic charities!
Watch our webinar with Sarah Ali, Executive Director of the Muslim Philanthropy Network, to discover key fundraising strategies to help you double your donations this Ramadan. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for fresh fundraising tips and ideas!
Zakat al-fitr (fitrana) is a sacred charity required by all Muslims who have excess food so that the poor and needy can share in the celebration of the end of the Ramadan fast.
Masjids and Islamic charities can make it easy for the ummah to give their zakat al-fitr in 2025 and beyond using modern and easy online and in-person giving options.
Donorbox is a robust fundraising and donor management platform that streamlines donations for nonprofit organizations, masjids, and more, ensuring they can continue to help those in need.
From donation forms and giving kiosks to crowdfunding and peer-to-peer campaigns, we’ve helped over 100,000 organizations raise a collective $3 billion and counting!
Sign up to make it easier for your ummah to give to your masjid or Islamic charity. For more helpful resources and fundraising ideas, visit our Nonprofit Blog and YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe to our monthly newsletter for fresh fundraising tips sent to your inbox!
Here are quick answers to some frequently asked questions you may have about fitrana.
You can give fitrana by distributing excess food to the poor before the Eid call to prayer on the final day of Ramadan. You can also give the required monetary sum to a masjid or Islamic charity that collects fitrana donations.
You can pay it on the last day of Ramadan, before the final Eid prayer. Some Islamic organizations also accept early submissions for fitrana.
You must give fitrana if you have food in excess. You are only exempt from giving fitrana if you don’t have excess food. The head of a household can pay on behalf of his or her family members.
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Jamy-Lee Holt