Bismihi Ta`ala
*SADAQATUL FITR BEST GIVEN WITH MONEY EQUIVALENCE.*
First of all, know that there has not been no static means of acquitting Sadaqatul Fitr.At the times of the beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam, he used to tell sahabahs to either give one Sa` -about 3.276 Kgs-of dates or 1 Sa’ 3.276 kgs of Barley.(Bukhari) Then after that the sahabahs reached the Ijma` or concensus that the equivalent value of Sadaqatul fitr is half Sa` or 1638grams of wheat.(Bukhari)Hazrat Ibn Umar r.a. used to give dates, but when dates was scarce one year in Madinah, then he gave barley(in equivalence).(Bukhari)
عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَفَرَضَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَدَقَةَ الْفِطْرِ أَوْ قَالَ رَمَضَانَ عَلَى الذَّكَرِ وَالْأُنْثَى وَالْحُرِّ وَالْمَمْلُوكِ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ فَعَدَلَ النَّاسُ بِهِ نِصْفَ صَاعٍ مِنْ بُرٍّ فَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا يُعْطِي التَّمْرَ فَأَعْوَزَ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ مِنْ التَّمْرِ فَأَعْطَى شَعِيرًا بخاري
The need for change for the means of aquiting Sadaqatul Fitr was first availability of the product and also its liquidity purchasing power. So many years, Madinah had the second currency of dates, besides dinar Gold and dirham silver. That is why dates was chosen to be given for the poor to make up their Eid. Refer to our article Zakaatul Fitr and Sadaqatul fitr for more references that Sadaqatul Fitr is objectively to ease the Eid of the poor.
In fact as Islam spread throughout Syria, Jordan, Egypt, etc the sahabahs needed a universal means to calculate Sadaqatul Fitr. Because dates were not available all around the globe.
As such reported in Tirmizi that Hazrat Mu`awiyah r.a. sat as amir between the sahabahs of Madinah and he concluded that half Sa’- of Syrian wheat.(Tirmizi) There was a concensus of Sahabahs on this value also. (Tirmizi)Instead of giving wheat, dates or barley, the poor needs can rather be fulfilled with money that he may buy anything needed. That is why we take out the monetary value of this Ijma` of sahabahs.
We give money to the poor so that he may go and buy things he need with the money to spend a good Eid. Else if you all will give the poor chap only dates or only wheat, then unfortubately he will not be better off.That is why fuqahas preferred money equivalence to be given to the poor for Sadaqatul Fitr and for Zakaat also.Tirmizi reference:
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلَانَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عِيَاضِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّكُنَّا نُخْرِجُ زَكَاةَ الْفِطْرِ إِذْ كَانَ فِينَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَاعًا مِنْ طَعَامٍ أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ زَبِيبٍ أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ أَقِطٍ فَلَمْ نَزَلْ نُخْرِجُهُ حَتَّى قَدِمَ مُعَاوِيَةُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَتَكَلَّمَ فَكَانَ فِيمَا كَلَّمَ بِهِ النَّاسَ إِنِّي لَأَرَى مُدَّيْنِ مِنْ سَمْرَاءِ الشَّامِ تَعْدِلُ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍقَالَ فَأَخَذَ النَّاسُ بِذَلِكَ قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ فَلَا أَزَالُ أُخْرِجُهُ كَمَا كُنْتُ أُخْرِجُهُ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ يَرَوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ صَاعًا وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَقَ و قَالَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ صَاعٌ إِلَّا مِنْ الْبُرِّ فَإِنَّهُ يُجْزِئُ نِصْفُ صَاعٍ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ وَابْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ وَأَهْلُ الْكُوفَةِ يَرَوْنَ نِصْفَ صَاعٍ مِنْ بُرٍّ
Tirmidhi.
The crux of all these is that we need to give the equivalence more accessible and more liquid to profit the poor.Nonsense to say that we have to stick to one measure while Sahabahs collectively found equivalence to the measure according to their generation change, needs and countries. Yes, if given in terms of the original products mentioned in the ahadiths, then it will be acquitted. Enquire by your ulamas the monetary value of Sadaqatul Fitr and acquit in money value.
Mufti Mackoojee+23057921333