Scholars have said that the reason why the Prophet fixed the amount of zakatul fitr to saple foods in the in a particular measurement is because of differing the purchasing power.

It varies from one time to another and from one country to another. Thus, estimating the amount of Zakatul-Fitr by a fixed amount of money would make it fluctuate and be unstable. So, this means you have to value appropriately the value of the sa’ of the grains for one person.

Imam Abu Hanifah and his companions, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Umar ibnAbd Al-`Aziz, and many other scholars permitted paying the value of Zakah, including Zakatul-Fitr, as money.

Both supporters and opponents of the opinion depended on many pieces of evidence and points of views. Sheikh Ibn Taymiyah weighed the two options and reached a point of view as follows:

He said: “Paying the value of Zakah in money when there is no need or interest in doing so, is impermissible… As for paying the value of Zakah as money because of a need or interest, it is permissible.

The opinion that it is permissible to pay the value of Zakatul-Fitr as money was in effect during the age of the Tabiin (the generation following the Companions) and was supported by many scholars and one of the caliphs. Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated on the authority ofAwn, “I heard the letter of Umar ibnAbdul-Aziz being read toAdiyy, the ruler, ‘The people of the divan should take from every Muslim half a dirham.'”

The same reported that Al-Hasan said, “There is no harm in paying the value of Zakatul-Fitr in dirhams,” that Abu Ishaq said, ” I saw them paying the value of Zakatul-Fitr in dirhams”, and that `Ata’ narrated, “I used to give the value of Zakatul-Fitr in silver dirhams. (Musannaf, 4/37- 38) “

Granted that fatwas change according to the time, place, as well as the condition of the people involved, the two positions can still apply. In an environment where giving food as Zakatul-Fitr is only suitable in which the poor need grains and the payer finds such grains easily, it is better to give the grains.

Also, in the large and complex societies that have a high population density and where grains are rare and the poor do not need them because of the processing time and efforts, you will agree that paying the value of Zakatul-Fitr as money is more suitable for both the payer and the taker.