Paying Zakat Ul Fitr in Money: Is it Permissible?

Zakat Ul Fitr Payment: Food vs Money

Question:
The questioner says: Oh noble Shaykh, I know that it is not permissible to pay Zakat Ul Fitr with money, and I said this to my father but he did not accept this from me. He said he does not reject the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace are upon him, but this country is paying Zakat Ul Fitr in money therefore it is upon us to do what some of the people are doing and pay it with money. But I gave the Zakat for myself without intending to, will this be accepted from me?

Answer:

Shaykh bin Baz رحمه الله :

It is obligatory to pay for it using food. This is what the consensus of the Scholars are upon. A Saa’ from the staple food of the country; dates, barely, rice; food from the staple food of the country. One Saa’. This is obligatory upon every person, upon the male, the female, the young and the old.

A group of Scholars said: It is permissible to pay it in money, but this statement is weak. What is correct is that it is obligatory to pay it in food according to the consensus of the Scholars, most of the Scholars. As this has come in the narrations from the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace are upon him.

And if you advised your father and he did not do it, then you pay Zakat for yourself even if he is not aware of it. Pay it in food even if your father does not like it.

Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee