‘Pay zakat fitrah based on price of rice eaten’
SHAH ALAM: Muslims in Selangor are advised to pay their zakat according to the price of rice they consume, even if the rate of zakat fitrah has been set at RM7, which is the average price of rice in the market.
Selangor Mufti Datuk Mohd Tamyes Abd Wahid said the Selangor Mufti Department had issued a fatwa to set the zakat fitrah amount to correspond with the price of rice as this was more accurate.
For example, those who buy rice at RM2.60 per kg, their zakat rate is RM7, while those who buy Super Grade rice at RM8 per kg, will have a zakat rate of RM20.80.
“Based on the views of scholars, zakat fitrah should follow what the individual normally consumes. If he eats expensive rice, then the rate of 2.6 per kg is multiplied with the price of the rice.”
He said paying zakat fitrah based on the usual price of rice was not new as there were people who had been implementing this, adding that this was more consistent with the will of the hadith.
He quoted a hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari, where a friend of the prophet, Abu Said al-Khudri said the issue of zakat was a sha’ (basic food), according to what was commonly eaten.
He said the purpose of zakat was to create awareness among Muslims towards the fate of the disadvantaged and accommodate any shortcoming of the fasting ritual.
“Muslims are encouraged to spend less and give more to the underprivileged during Ramadan.”
He said Muslims in the state could pay the minimum zakat amount according to the fatwa, but were encouraged to pay more based on the price of rice they consumed.