Is Zakat al-Fitr valid if it was paid on the eve of Eid in Egypt, while the one paying it and his wife were performing Umrah in Mecca, and they broke their fast in Saudi Arabia, which preceded Egypt's Eid by one day?
A person should pay Zakat al-Fitr in the place where Eid overtakes him, because it is tied to the body. If he delegates his children to pay it, then the agent must hasten to pay it before the Eid prayer, based on the saying of Ibn Abbas: "Whoever pays it before the prayer, it is an accepted charity; and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is a charity like any other charity." Many scholars have permitted paying it on the day of Eid, even if it is after the prayer. Ibn Ruslan reported a consensus on the prohibition of delaying it beyond the day of Eid, but some of the Salaf held the view that delaying it is permissible. The view of the general body of scholars is the prohibition of delaying it beyond the day of Eid. So, what the children did is unlawful if they did it intentionally. However, if it was due to forgetfulness, there is no sin upon them, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted: "Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make a mistake," and Allah's response to it: "I have done so." However, it must be paid to the poor because it is their right, which is not forfeited by the passage of time. And since they paid it on the night of Eid according to them, there is nothing upon them.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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