Wakati gani zakat al-fitr inakuwa ya lazima (mara moja)208 209? Wamekubaliana kwamba inakuwa wajibu mwishoni mwa Ramadhani, kwa sababu ya hadithi ya Ibn Umar kwamba "Mtume wa Mwenyezi Mungu (rehema na amani ziwe juu yake ﷺ) aliifanya zakat al-fitr kuwa ni wajibu kwa watu mwishoni mwa Ramadhani". Walitofautiana kuhusu kubainisha wakati maalum. Malik, katika riwaya kutoka kwake kupitia Ibn al-Qasim, anaifanya kuwa wajibu kwa kuchomoza kwa alfajiri ya siku ya Eid al-Fitr. Ashhab amesimulia kutoka kwake kwamba anaiona kuwa wajibu wakati wa machweo ya jua siku ya mwisho ya Ramadhani. Mtazamo wa kwanza ulishikiliwa pia na Abu Hanifa, na wa pili na al-Shafi'i. Sababu ya kutofautiana kwao ni kama ni ibada inayohusishwa na siku ya Eid au na kupita kwa mwezi wa Ramadhani, kwa kuwa usiku wa Eid si sehemu ya Ramadhani. Matumizi ya mjadala huu yanaonekana katika kesi ya mtoto aliyezaliwa kabla ya asubuhi ya siku ya Eid lakini baada ya machweo ya jua (la siku ya mwisho ya Ramadhani). Je, zakat al-fitr ni wajibu kwa niaba ya mtoto huyu?

When does zakat al-fitr become (immediately)208 209 due? They agreed that it becomes obligatory at the end of Ramadan, because of the tradition of Ibn TJmar that “The Messenger of Allah (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) declared zakat al-fitr as prescribed for the people at the end of Ramadan”. They disagreed over the determination of a specific time. Malik, in a narration from him by Ibn al-Qasim, makes it obligatory with the breaking of the dawn on the day offitr. Ashhab has related from him that he considers it obligatory at sunset on the last day of Ramadan. The first opinion was also held by Abu Hanlfa and the second by al-ShaficT. The reason for their disagreement is whether it is a worship associated with the day of or with the passing of the month of Ramadan, as the night of ^id is not part of Ramadan. The application of this dispute is to be seen in the case of a child born before morning on the day of but after sunset (of the last day of Ramadan). Is zakat al-fitr obligatory on behalf of this child? '