The same question returns every Ramadan: is it permissible to pay zakat al-Fitr in cash instead of food? The answer is that scholars differ, and practice varies by country according to the fatwa authority in each place.
The two main opinions
Cash is not allowed
The well-known view of the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools: the texts specify food - a sa' of dates, barley, dried yoghurt, raisins or wheat - and acts of worship follow their prescribed forms. Food also reaches the poor directly without the money being spent on something else.
Cash is allowed
The Hanafi school and a view among others: the purpose is to enrich the poor on the day of Eid, and cash is more useful today because the poor can buy what they actually need. Something close to this was reported from Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz and al-Hasan al-Basri.
How much is a sa' in kilograms?
A sa' is a measure of volume, not weight. Its weight in kilograms changes with the density of the staple:
| Staple | Approximate sa' weight |
|---|---|
| Rice | about 2.5 kg |
| Wheat | about 2.6 to 2.8 kg |
| Barley | about 2.2 to 2.4 kg |
| Dates | about 2 to 2.5 kg |
| Raisins | about 2 to 2.3 kg |
Read the full detail in our article Zakat al-Fitr by Sa and by Kilogram.
How to estimate the cash value yourself
Rule: sa' weight of your staple × local price per kilogram × number of people you pay for.
Example: a family of five pays with rice; the sa' is 2.5 kg and the local price is $1.20 per kg:
- Total weight = 5 × 2.5 = 12.5 kg
- Value = 12.5 × 1.20 = $15
Why does the value differ between countries?
Because the price of rice, wheat and dates differs from country to country and from year to year. The value announced by the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia is not the same as the value announced by the Ministry of Awqaf in Egypt or Jordan. Therefore your reference is your own country's announcement.
When should it be paid?
- Best: before the Eid prayer.
- Permissible: one or two days earlier; Hanafis and Shafi'is permit payment from the start of Ramadan.
- Delayed without excuse after the Eid prayer becomes a debt on the payer.
On whose behalf is it paid?
For yourself, your wife and your minor children; it is recommended by some scholars for the foetus as well. A paid servant pays for himself.
Practical summary
- Follow your national fatwa authority's announcement if one exists.
- If you calculate it yourself, choose the staple, know its sa' weight, and multiply by number of people and market price.
- Pay it before the Eid prayer.
- Use the zakat al-Fitr calculator to compute weight and value together.
Data sources
Last updated: 7 September 2026