Is it permissible to give out Zakat al-Fitr three or four times without specifying which of them is Zakat al-Fitr and which is a voluntary charity, with the intention that the first one that aligns with the Sunnah is Zakat al-Fitr?
According to the majority of scholars, Zakat al-Fitr is given as food, not money. It should be given in the country where the giver resides, and it should not be transferred elsewhere unless for relatives or those in dire need. Transferring Zakat from one country to another is permissible if there is an excess of Zakat over the needs of the people in the country. Otherwise, it is disliked according to the Hanafis, except for relatives, those in greater need, those who would benefit Muslims more, a student of knowledge, or from a land of war to the land of Islam.
However, according to the Malikis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis, it is not permissible to transfer Zakat beyond the distance of qasr (shortening prayers), except for the Malikis if there are those in greater need. The transportation cost, according to the Malikis, is borne by the public treasury (Bayt al-Mal), while according to the Hanbalis, it is borne by the giver.
It is permissible to give more than the sa' (a unit of measurement) for Fitr, as the sa' is the obligatory amount and anything beyond that is voluntary. There is no dislike in doing so according to the majority of scholars.
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