Diyanet's 2026 fitra amount sparks debate

The Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has announced the fitra amount for 2026 as 240 TL. This figure represents the minimum amount required to cover an individual's basic daily food needs.

According to calculations, the monthly food expenditure alone for a family of four reaches approximately 28,800 TL. Experts state that when food expenditures account for around 40 percent of the total budget, a family's monthly income needs to reach the 72,000 TL level to maintain minimum living standards.

Tax Expert Mahmut Aydoğmuş emphasized that a large segment of the population has an income at the fitra level, and made the following assessment:

“In Turkey, approximately 9 million people survive on the minimum wage, while 4.9 million citizens live on the minimum pension. Additionally, 4.3 million people receive widow and orphan pensions, and another 6.5 million people are trying to get by on an average income of approximately 23,500 TL, which is even below the minimum wage. When we add these groups together, we see that 25 million people are condemned to an income at or below the fitra threshold.”

“When family members and the unemployment figures announced by TUIK are added to this picture, almost the entire society becomes in need of fitra.”

Regarding the current situation, Aydoğmuş also added the following:

“Fitra refers to aid given to poor individuals in Islam. At the point reached today, looking at the announced fitra amount, it is clear that a large number of people have reached a state of needing this solidarity. The decline in the minimum wage and pensions reveals the socioeconomic problems being experienced, even through basic criteria such as fitra.”

News Source: 12punto