Is it permissible to give zakāt al-fiṭr as money in Western countries?
This issue is among the points of valid scholarly disagreement among the people of knowledge, past and present, and the disagreement within it is a disagreement of variety and of considered reasoning in fulfilling the objective, not a disagreement of contradiction over the basis of its legislation. For zakāt al-fiṭr is an obligation firmly established by the Sunnah; Ibn ʿUmar, may God be pleased with them both, said: "The Messenger of God ﷺ made zakāt al-fiṭr obligatory: a ṣāʿ of dates or a ṣāʿ of barley" (agreed upon), and the Prophet ﷺ clarified its objective with his words: "a purification for the fasting person from idle and indecent talk, and food for the needy" (narrated by Abū Dāwūd; a sound [ḥasan] hadith).
The jurists have differed over giving it as money, holding two well-known positions:
- The majority of the jurists (the Mālikīs, the Shāfiʿīs, and the Ḥanbalīs) hold that the basis is to give it as food from the predominant staple of the land, following the apparent meaning of the text that specified it as a ṣāʿ of food, and money does not suffice according to them except in narrow circumstances.
- The Ḥanafīs permit giving its value as money, in view of the fact that the aim is to meet the need of the poor, and money may be more beneficial for him and more fulfilling of his need; and this is reported from a group of the early generations.
What many of the contemporary fiqh academies and councils concerned with the affairs of Muslims in the West have settled upon is: that the basis is to give it as food, while it is permitted as a concession to give it as money when there is need and when benefit for the poor is realized — which is the prevailing situation in Western lands; where it is difficult for the Muslim to deliver food to those entitled to it, and the Islamic institutions undertake to collect the value and disburse it through its recognized channels. So acting upon the value here is a fulfillment of the objective of "enriching the poor on this day," not a circumvention of the text.
As for its amount: a ṣāʿ of the predominant staple of the land, estimated at roughly two and a half to three kilograms, or its value in money. It is given on behalf of every member of the family, young and old.
As for its time: it becomes obligatory at the setting of the sun on the last day of Ramadan, and it is best to give it before the ʿĪd prayer; on account of his words ﷺ: "Whoever pays it before the prayer, it is an accepted zakāt, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is one of the ordinary charities" (narrated by Abū Dāwūd; a sound [ḥasan] hadith). It is permissible to give it a day or two early; indeed, some of the people of knowledge permitted giving it from the beginning of the month for the benefit of delivering it to the poor in its time.
In sum: give it as food if it is feasible for you to deliver it to the one in need, and otherwise money suffices, God willing, especially in the West; the matter is broad, and the aim is to bring joy to the poor on the day of ʿĪd.