I say, and with Allah's success: Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory on every free, wealthy Muslim, whether small or large, male or female. It is obligatory but not a mandatory duty; because a mandatory duty is something that is established as necessary by a definitive proof, and the obligation of this type of zakat has not been established by definitive proof, but rather by a proof that has some ambiguity regarding its necessity, which is the report of a single narrator. It was narrated from Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory from Ramadan upon the people, one sa' of dates or one sa' of barley for every free or enslaved male or female Muslim,” in Sahih Muslim 2: 677, and Sahih al-Bukhari 2: 547. The meaning of 'made obligatory' is that he prescribed the performance of Zakat al-Fitr; because 'obligatory' in the language means estimation, as Allah, the Exalted, said: {So half of what you have prescribed} Al-Baqarah: 237: meaning what you have estimated. And from Abdullah ibn Thalabah, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: “Pay one sa' of wheat or barley between two people or one sa' of dates or one sa' of barley for every free and enslaved person, small or large,” in Sunan al-Daraqutni 2: 150. And from Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded Zakat al-Fitr for every small and large person, free or enslaved, one sa' of barley or one sa' of dates, and people later adjusted it to a mudd of wheat,” in Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 4: 86, and Sahih Ibn Hibban 8: 94. And from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory, half a sa' of wheat, or one sa' of barley, or one sa' of dates for the free and enslaved, male and female,” in Musnad Ahmad 1: 351, and Sunan al-Daraqutni 2: 152. See: Badai' al-Sanai' 2: 69, and Allah knows best.