"Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings upon him, commanded the alms of fitr so that the fasting person would be cleansed of vain, ugly and haphazard words and so that it would provide the poor with provision. Whoever gives this before the prayer of festival ('Iyd prayer), it is accepted of him as alms. And whoever gives it after the prayer of festival, then, it is like one of the alms given at other times." (Ibn-i Majah, Zakat: 21)