When Zakat Al-Fitr Should Be Paid

Praise be to Allaah.

The time for paying zakaat al-fitr does not begin after the Eid prayer, rather it starts after sunset on the last day of Ramadaan, which is the first night of the month of Shawwaal, and it ends with the Eid prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded that it should be paid before the prayer. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever pays it before the prayer, it is accepted zakaah (i.e., zakaat al-fitr), and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is ordinary charity.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2/262-263, no. 1609; Ibn Maajah, 1/585, no. 1827; al-Daaraqutni, 2/138; al-Haakim, 1/409.

It is permissible to pay it one or two days before that, because of the report narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined sadaqat al-fitr in Ramadaan.” According to another report, they used to pay it one or two days before the end of Ramadaan.

Whoever delays it after its time has sinned, and he has to repent for delaying and give it to the poor.

And Allaah is the Source of strength.

The Sunnah With Regard To Siwak

Siwak means cleaning the mouth and teeth with a siwak, which is the name given to the tool used. The siwak is a stick or twig used for this purpose. Siwak is a method of cleaning the mouth which also earns the pleasure of Allah, as is proven in the hadith of Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Siwak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord.'" (al-Bukhari, Ahmad and al-Nisa'i)

Use of the siwak is repeatedly encouraged, as in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who reported that the Prophet said: "Were it not for the fact that I did not want to make things too hard for my Ummah (nation), I would have commanded them to use the siwak at every time of prayer." (al-Bukhari and Muslim). According to another report narrated by al-Bukhari, he said: "…at every time of making wudoo'."

Imam al-Nawawi reported that the respectable scholars were agreed that the use of siwak is sunnah and is encouraged. One of the signs of its importance is the fact that some of the salaf (early generations of Islam), such as Is'haq ibn Rahwayh, thought that it was obligatory.

Times When the Use of Siwak Is Recommended

Siwak is recommended at all times of the night and day because of the general sense of the hadith quoted above from Aishah, "Siwak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord." The scholars have also mentioned situations where the use of siwak is even more strongly encouraged. These include: When making wudoo' and at times of prayer as already stated above. Other situations are:

1. When entering one's home to be with one's family: Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did when he first came home. She said: "When he entered his house, the first thing he would do was use the siwak." (Muslim)

2. When getting up from sleep: Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) got up during the night, he would clean his mouth thoroughly with the siwak. (al-Bukhari and Muslim).

3. When the smell of one's mouth changes: Siwak is cleansing for the mouth, which means that it should definitely be used when the mouth needs cleaning, whether this is because of eating food with a strong odor, or because of not eating or drinking for a long time, etc.

4. When going to the mosque: Using siwak is a part of the adornment that we are commanded to wear for every prayer, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "O Children of Adam! Take your adornment while praying…'" [al-Aa'raf 7:31]. It is also important because the angels are present in the mosque, and one is going to meet with other worshippers there.

5. When reading Qur'an and joining gatherings in which Allah is remembered (dhikr), because the angels are present on such occasions.

Using Siwak When Fasting:

The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) are agreed that there is nothing wrong with using siwak during the day when one is fasting, but they differed with regard to using it after noon, which some of them disliked (regarded as makrooh). The correct view is that it is sunnah for one who is fasting, just as it is for anyone else, because of the general sense of the reports that prove it is sunnah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not make any exceptions or state any specific time, and a statement that is general in nature should continue to be taken as general unless there is evidence to indicate that it is specific in application. The hadith used as evidence to forbid using siwak after noon is attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), who is quoted as saying that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When you fast, use siwak in the morning but do not use it in the afternoon." (al-Daraqutni. This is a weak hadith. Ibn Hajar said: a weak isnad). There is no proof that this can be attributed to the Prophet .

With regard to the use of the hadith "The odor that comes from the mouth of the fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the scent of musk" (al-Bukhari and Muslim) as evidence, this mouth odor will not be dispelled by use of siwak because it is caused by the stomach being empty, and it could occur early in the day if a person has not eaten suhoor.

All the scholars are agreed that it is permissible for a fasting person to use siwak early in the day. This shows that the use of siwak is encouraged even when fasting, and there is no difference between using it early in the day or later on.

What Should Be Used for Siwak (Cleaning the Mouth):

The scholars are agreed that the best thing for cleaning the mouth is the twigs of the Arak tree, because of its good smell, and because it has brush-like fibers which are effective for cleaning food particles etc. from between the teeth, and because of the hadith of Abdullah ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: "I used to gather siwak sticks from the Arak tree for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." (Ahmad).

If Arak twigs are not available, the scholars recommended using palm-leaf stalks, or twigs of the olive tree. The ahadith that have been narrated concerning this, however, are not sound. The correct view is that any kind of sticks that are cleansing and not harmful may be used instead of siwak, if it is not available, to clean the mouth and remove dirt from the teeth. This includes modern toothbrushes, which are known to be beneficial in this regard.
Things That May not Be Used for Siwak:

The scholars have stated that it is forbidden to use poisonous sticks, things that are not pure, and anything that may cause bleeding, illness or any other harm.
Attributes of Siwak:
The scholars have described the siwak as a stick of medium length and thickness, no thicker than one's little finger, and free of knots. It should not be so wet that it will twist, because then it will not remove dirt, nor should it be so dry that it will hurt the mouth or crack during use. No doubt this is describing the ideal, otherwise the reports do not specify any particular type of siwak. It is permissible to use any kind of siwak that will do the job.

How to Clean the Mouth with Siwak:

The scholars have differed as to whether siwak should be done with the right hand or the left hand. One group - the majority - think that it is better to use the right hand, because of the general meaning of the hadith narrated by Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) liked to start with the right when putting on his shoes, dismounting (from his camel), when cleaning himself and in all things." (Agreed upon). They also say that siwak is an act of worship and drawing closer to Allah, so it should not be done with the left hand.

Other scholars say that it is better to use the left hand for siwak, because it comes under the heading of removing dirt. This is the well-known opinion of Imam Ahmad's madhhab, and it is the view favored by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him).

Some scholars have said that when a person is using siwak with the intention of following the sunnah, he should use his right hand, and if he is doing it to remove dirt, he should use his left hand. The fact of the matter is that this issue is open, as there is no definitive proof or report, and every opinion has a valid point.

The scholars suggested that when using siwak, a person should start on the right, and use a side-to-side motion rather than up-and-down, as the latter may harm the gums.

Among the etiquette of using siwak, they mentioned the following: That a person should not use the siwak in front of others or in public, because this is impolite and that the siwak should be washed after use, to get rid of any dirt that may be on it. Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to use siwak, then he would give it to me to wash it. I would use it first, then wash it and give it back to him." (Abu Dawood). The siwak should be kept in a clean place.

Using One's Fingers to Clean One's Mouth:

The scholars differ as to whether it is acceptable to use one's fingers to clean one's mouth when there is nothing else available. The correct view is that using the fingers cannot be considered as a substitute for the sunnah action, because there is no basis in Islam for doing so, and this method does not clean the mouth as a siwak or similar instrument does.

Modern methods of cleaning the teeth, like toothbrushes and so on, that remove dirt and make the mouth smell good, are acceptable.

There is nothing wrong with using siwak that is flavored with mint, lemon and so on, so long as they do not cause any harm. But a person who is fasting should avoid using any flavored siwak, and should only use natural siwak when he is fasting.

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Reading The Quran In Ramazan

Abu Umamah reported that the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "Recite the Qur'an for indeed it will come on the Day of Judgement as an intercessor for its Ashab (those who read, memorize and implement it)."

This hadith indicates the virtues of reciting the Qur'an, the greatness of its reward and that it will intercede for its holders on the Day of Judgment towards their entrance into Paradise.

An-Nawwas Ibn Sama'an reported: "I heard the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, say: 'The Qur'an will be brought on the Day of Judgment as well as the people who used to act upon it. Surat-ul-Baqarah and Aali 'Imran will then approach them.' The Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, likened them to three examples, which I have not forgotten afterwards. He, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, said: 'As if they were two clouds or two dark black canopies with light between them both or like two flocks of birds stretching their wings in the air pleading for the one who recited them.'"

'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "The fast and the Qur'an will intercede for the servant on the Day of Judgement. The fast will say: 'My Lord, I restricted him from food and drink, so allow me to intercede for him.' And the Qur'an will say: 'I prevented him from sleeping at night, so allow me to intercede for him.' So they will be allowed to intercede." Therefore, it is essential for the person fasting to recite the Qur'an much during these blessed days and honorable nights. For indeed, there is a special virtue for the abundance of recitation in these days, which is not found in any other month. He should take advantage of the nobleness of time during this month, in which Allah revealed the Qur'an.

There is a special merit to reciting the Qur'an in the nights of Ramadan. For indeed, the night brings an end to the busy daily affairs, the enthusiasm is roused and the heart and the tongue mount upon reflecting. And Allah is the one in whom we seek assistance.

It is reported that Gabriel used to meet with the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, during each night of Ramadan and they would study the Qur'an together. So if making dhikr (remembrance of Allah) were better than the Qur'an or equal to it (on these nights), they would have done that all the time or at certain times along with constantly gathering for that occasion.

Thus, this hadith illustrates the precedence of studying the Qur'an during Ramadan and gathering together for that occasion as well as turning towards one who is more prominent in the memorization of it.

The predecessors of this Ummah would recite the Qur'an constantly during Ramadan. And when they would fast, they would sit in the masajid and say: "We will guard our fast and not back bite anyone."

They would recite the Qur'an in their prayer and out of it. 'Uthman would complete the recitation of the (whole) Qur'an once a day. And some of the Salaf (our pious predecessors) would complete it during their qiyam (night prayers) in Ramadan every three nights. Some of them would do it every seven days and some every ten days.

Ash-Shafi'ee would complete the Qur'an sixty times during Ramadan, while reciting it outside of prayer. Al-Aswad would recite the whole Qur'an every two nights of Ramadan. Qatadah would always compete the Qur'an every seven days. He would do it every three days in Ramadan, and during the last ten days, he would do it every night. Their reports concerning that are famous.

Al-Hafidh Ibn Rajab, May Allah have mercy upon him, said: "The forbiddance of reciting the Qur'an in less than three days (as stated in a hadith) has only been mentioned in regards to its being done on a normal basis. As for the specific times that are virtuous, such as the month of Ramadan and especially the nights in which the night of Al-Qadr is sought. Or those places that are virtuous, such as Makkah for the one who enters it without residing there, then it is recommended to recite the Qur'an a lot in these times and places, seeking the merits connected with their time and place. This is the opinion of Ahmad, Abu Ishaq and other scholars. And the actions of others indicate that as has been stated previously."

The person reciting the Qur'an must observe the proper etiquettes of recitation. Some of them are that: He make his intention sincerely for Allah, that he recite it whilst being in a state of purity, that he use the Siwak and that he recite it while pondering on its meaning and observing total consciousness. Allah says:

"A Book, which We have revealed to you in order that its verses may be pondered upon, so that the people of understanding may be reminded."

Also, from the etiquettes of the recitation is that one does not stop his reciting in order to speak to someone else. Indeed, when many people sit to recite the Qur'an, and there are people sitting next to them, a majority of the time, they stop their recitation and speak to their neighbors. This is not proper since it is turning away from the recitation without a valid reason.

And it is on the one who recites, to act upon the Qur'an, making permissible its Halal (what is lawful) and forbidding its Haram (what is unlawful), so that the Qur'an can be a proof for him on the Day of Judgement and intercede for him in entering the gardens of bliss.

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