💐 In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
💌 Zakat Al-Fitr is an obligatory charity, not voluntary/optional, which is given to the needy in the form of staple food like rice, flour or dates weighing around three kilograms. Even if you think that a poor family can benefit more from financial assistance, Zakat Al-Fitr will not be valid if you don't follow the orders of the noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam who commanded Muslims to pay Zakat Al-Fitr in the form of edibles that equal to one ssaa', equivalent to approximately three kilograms of rice, flour or dates.
While it is better to pay Zakat Al-Fitr on the night before praying the Eid Al-Fitr prayer, you are allowed to give the charity one or two days before the day of Eid.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (May Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on giving Zakat Al-Fitr to poor relatives.
He replied:
It is permissible to give Zakat Al-Fitr and Zakaah of one’s wealth to relatives who are poor, and in fact giving it to relatives is better than giving it to strangers because giving it to relatives is both charity and upholding ties of kinship. But that is subject to the condition that giving it is not a means of protecting one’s wealth, i.e., if this poor person is one on whom the rich person is obliged to spend, in this case it is not permissible to meet his needs by giving Zakaah, because if he does that he will have saved his own money by giving him Zakaah, and this is not permissible. But if he is not obliged to spend on him (because that person is not his parent or child), then he may give his Zakaah to him, and giving Zakaah to him is better than giving it to a stranger, because the Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: “Your charity given to a relative is both charity and upholding the ties of kinship.”
End quote.
Source: https://islamqa.info/en/answers/81122/it-is-not-permissible-to-give-zakaah-to-one-on-whom-you-are-obliged-to-spend
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"Rulings Of Zakaat Al-Fitr" Islamic lecture by brother Abu Suhailah 'Umar Quinn
https://youtu.be/o_PZ9X2Hrn0
📖 Ibn Umar RadhiAllahu 'anhuma narrated: The Messenger of Allah SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam made it an obligation to pay charity (Zakat Al-Fitr) at the end of Ramadan, a portion of dates or barely, upon the slave and the freeman, the male and female, the young and the old among the Muslims. The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam ordered it to be given before the people go out for the Eid prayer.
Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari 1433, Sahih Muslim 986
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (Authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim