The basis for Zakaatul-Fitr being legislated

Reference: Fataawa Ramadhaan v2 p903 no.886
Fataawa as-Siyaam libni Jibreen p185

Question: What is the basis for the legislation of Zakaatul-Fitr?

Response: The basis for it being legislated are the authentic ahaadeeth of the Prophet ﷺ. Such as the hadeeth of 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar (radhi-yAllaahu 'anhumaa) who said: "The Prophet ﷺ legislated Sadaqatul-Fitr - or he said Ramadhaan - upon the male and the female, the free [person] and the slave a saa' of dates (one saa' is equal to four mudd, and one mudd is equal to the amount held by cupping the two hands together. It is a measure by volume and not by weight)...", [and] the hadeeth [goes on].

And some of the scholars have deduced it being legislated by the statement of Allaah (subhaanahu wa-ta'aala):

{Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success} al-A'laa 87:14

So they have expounded

{purifies himself} al-A'laa 87:14

to [mean] Zakaatul-Fitr.

Translation originally published on 3 January, 2000.