Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

JUST TODAY I AM TOLD BY ME FRIEND THAT IT IS WAJIB TO GIVE ZAKATUL FITR FOR UNBORN BABY (FETUS). PLEASE ADVISE.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Zakah fitr for unborn child

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

To the best of our knowledge, there is nothing in the authentic and established Sunnah which declares that one is liable to pay ‘zakat-ul-fitr’ for an unborn child.  If one’s child is born before the Eid prayer, then indeed the guardian/leader of the family would be liable to pay ‘zakat-ul-fitr’ for their infant child.  And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan