Permissibility Of Giving Monetary Value For The Zakat al-Fiṭr
(Al-Shaylh Al-Muḥaddith Dr. Khālid al-Ḥāyek)
Every year during Ramaḍān, much debate arises regarding "Sadaqat al-Fiṭr": Is it permissible to give it in cash?!!
I say:
[The Basis in Ḥadīth] The original rule is to give it in the form of food, as mentioned in the ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar, who said: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordained the charity of Ramaḍān on the free person and the slave, the male and the female: a sāʿ of dates or a sāʿ of barley." He specified dates and barley here because they were the primary staple foods of the people of the Ḥijāz. (Sāʿ is an islamic measurement of volume.)
In some narrations of Ibn ʿUmar’s ḥadīth: "Later, the people equated it to half a saa’ of wheat." Ayyūb al-Sakhtiyanī said: "Nafiʿ said that Ibn ʿUmar used to give dates, except for one year when dates were scarce, so he gave barley." In another narration, Ibn ʿUmar said: "Later, the people equated it to two muds (handfuls) of wheat," and he added: "He [Ibn ‘Umar] preferred to give dates."
[Broadening the Categories] The ḥadīth of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī states: "We used to give, while the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was among us, the Zakat al-Fiṭr for every young and old, free or slave: a sāʿ of food, or a sāʿ of dried yogurt (aqit), or a sāʿ of barley, or a sāʿ of dates, or a sāʿ of raisins." We continued to do so until Muʿāwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān came for Ḥajj or ʿUmrah and addressed the people from the pulpit, saying: "I see that two muds of Syrian wheat are equivalent to a sāʿ of dates." The people adopted this. Abū Saʿīd said: "As for me, I will continue to give it as I always have as long as I live."
This hadith adds categories not mentioned by Ibn ‘Umar, and Abu Sa’id clarified that these were given during the time of the Prophet.
For this reason, Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr said: "The summary of Mālik's view is that one pays what is the primary diet of the people of their land: wheat, barley, pearl barley, corn, millet, rice, raisins, dates, or dried yogurt." He added: "I do not think the people of Egypt should give anything but wheat, as it is their main diet, unless its price rises and they switch to barley, in which case they may give that."
The Conclusion: Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr is to be given from the staple food of the people of that country. The staple food in most countries today is rice.
While the original rule is to give food, there are several reports (āthār) regarding the permissibility of giving its monetary value.
Ibn Abī Shaybah included a chapter in his Muṣannaf titled: "On Giving Dirhams (Money) for Zakat al-Fiṭr."
In this chapter, he cited authentic reports from the early generations (salaf) permitting the payment of Zakat al-Fiṭr in its equivalent value in dirhams or the like.
[The edict of ʿUmar bin ʿAbdul ʿAzīz]:
It is narrated from Ibn ‘Awn: "I heard the letter of [Caliph] ʿUmar bin ʿAbdul ʿAzīz being read to Adi in Basra, stating: 'Take from the people on the payroll half a dirham for every person from their stipends.'"
From Qurrah: "A letter from ʿUmar bin ʿAbdul ʿAzīz reached us regarding Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr: 'Half a saa’ per person, or its value of half a dirham.'"
It is narrated that Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said: "There is no harm in giving dirhams for Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr."
It is narrated that Abū Isḥāq al-Sabīʿī said: "I reached them [the companions] and they were giving dirhams for the charity of Ramaḍān equivalent to the value of the food."
Abū Isḥāq was among the senior Tabiʿūn (successors of the companions), and he was from the Mukhḍaram generation* and "the people he reached" were the Companions of the Prophet —may Allah be pleased with them. (Mukhḍaram: This group occupied a unique position, existing between the Companions and the Tabiʿūn. They were born during the Prophet's lifetime, but did not become his companions through direct interaction. They are also considered by some to be the most senior generation within the Tabiʿūn.)
[The Final Ruling] These reports indicate the permissibility of giving the monetary value. The matter is flexible, and we should not make things difficult for people if their best interest today lies in giving the value in cash.
And Allah knows best.
[Al-Shaylh Al-Muḥaddith]
Dr. Khālid al-Ḥāyek (source)
~ Galandān