Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar used to send the zakat al-fitr to the one with whom it was collected together two or three days before the day of breaking the fast. Yahya related to me that Malik had seen that the people of knowledge used to like to pay the zakat al-fitr after dawn had broken on the day of the Fitr before they went to the place of prayer. Malik said, "There is leeway in this, if Allah wills, in that it can be paid either before setting out (for the prayer) on the day of Fitr or afterwards."