What is the ruling regarding the Zakat al-Fitr payment for a wife's attendant or servant?
Chapter on Zakat al-Fitr
Al-Mughni
Book of Zakat
Primary text
If a wife has a servant whom the husband hires and pays wages to, the husband does not owe the servant's Fitr because the payment is a wage, not maintenance. If the wife requires a servant but one is not hired, the ruling depends on whether her status typically requires a servant; if not, the husband owes neither maintenance nor Fitr for a servant. If she is of a class that requires a servant, the husband must provide service, and he may either buy a servant, hire one, or provide maintenance for one. If he buys or maintains one, he owes their Fitr; if he hires one, he owes neither maintenance nor their Fitr, regardless of whether the contract included maintenance.