There is no difference between Zakat al-Fitr and Sadaqah al-Fitr; they are two names for one and the same thing. This charity is an obligatory act of worship due at the conclusion of the month of Ramadan.

It is called 'Zakat' because it is an obligation (fard) that purifies the soul of the fasting person. The obligatory nature is established in the authentic hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, who stated:

"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined (farada) Zakat al-Fitr, a sa' of dates or a sa' of barley, upon the slave and the free, the male and the female, the young and the old among the Muslims, and he commanded that it be given before the people go out to the ('Eid) prayer."

The use of the word 'farada' (enjoined/made obligatory) indicates its status as a Zakat.

It is also called 'Sadaqah' because it is a charitable act intended to benefit the poor and needy, and the term 'sadaqah' in the Qur'an and Sunnah can refer to both voluntary and obligatory charity. The purpose of this 'Sadaqah' was explained by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, who said:

"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined Zakat al-Fitr as a purification for the fasting person from idle and obscene speech, and as food for the needy (tu'matan lil-masakeen)."

Thus, both terms are correct. 'Zakat al-Fitr' highlights its obligatory nature and its connection to the purification of the fasting person, while 'Sadaqah al-Fitr' highlights its nature as a charitable offering and its purpose of feeding the poor.