Is it permissible to comprise all what is named as food including oil, vegetables, fruits, rice, meat, and dessert, etc within the food mentioned in Shari`ah or some of these foods are not allowed as Zakah upon Al-Fitr unless it is assured that those poor, needy people find it difficult to get such foods for a long time?

Foods mentioned in Hadith are dates, barley, raisins, cheese, and wheat. As was mentioned in Hadith related on the authority of bin-Omar in Al-Bukhari`s ( The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) imposed Zakah upon Al-Fitr to be a sa` (a standard measure that equals 2172 grams) of dates, or of barely on every slave and free, male and female, young and old Muslim, and ordered to give this Zakah before people go to perform prayers) And in Hadith related on the authority of Abi Said Al-khodrie in Al-Bukhari`s ( We were paying Zakah upon Al-Fitr as a sa` of food, or barely, or dates, or cheese, or raisins.) these types of food were common during the prophet`s era.

In another narration of Hadith related on the authority of Abi Said Al-khodri (May Allah be pleased with him) who said: we were paying Zakah during the Prophet`s (PBUH) era on the Day of Al-Fitr as a sa` of food. Abu Said said: our food was barely, raisins, cheese and dates. Related by Al-Bukhari. Scholars analogized that to whatever people eat as food, including rice, lentil, legumes, etc. Thus, they said that giver of Zakah is to give a sa` of the most common food of the people of a country.

However, can we consider the food value so as to replace it with dirhams and dinars?

The learned people differ on replying such a question; however, the majority of their jurists agreed on prohibiting such an issue, and the food is particularly meant in alms upon Al-Fitr, especially the money might be misused in a way that some poor people may unlawfully spend it .

In another narration of Hadith related on the authority of Abi Said Al-khodri (May Allah be pleased with him) who said: we were paying Zakah during the Prophet`s (PBUH) era on the Day of Al-Fitr as a sa` of food. Abu Said said: our food was barely, raisins, cheese and dates. Related by Al-Bukhari. Scholars analogized that to whatever people eat as food, including rice, lentil, legumes, etc. Thus, they said that payer of Zakat is to give a sa` of the most common food of the people of a country.

Al-Ahnaf (members of the sect of Sunnis founded by the Imam Abu-Hanifah) and their followers tended to comply with the meaning and so they said: what`s meant by Al-Fitr alms is causing the needy to stop begging on that Day. As stop begging can be achieved by providing food can also be achieved by other things; however money could be much better as it satiates the needs of the poor, and is more beneficial for them. Others said what`s to be taken into account is what is more beneficial for the poor and averting to their needs; the matter that differs due to time and place. Muhammad bin Salamah said (within days of abundance paying money is preferable for me, whereas in days of need giving wheat is preferable for me.) Ibn taymiyah, Sheikh of Islam, said that giving money value of zakat upon Al-Fitr without a need for that or a predominant benefit is forbidden. But he (Ibn-Taymiyah) permitted giving this Zakah in terms of money for a need or benefit and justice. (collection of Fatawa 25/82-83)

For that purpose, many recent scholars inclined to favor Abi Hanifah` opinion on that issue due the fact that need for money is more dominant than anything else. It is also due to the fact that the need of the poor is not restricted to foods; they may be in dire need for medicine and dress, rather than food and beverage.