How Must the Sadaqatul Fitr be paid?

Question: Must the Sadaqatul Fitr be given in grain? If the monetary equivalent can be given. will it be at the market value or at the control value?

Answer: The grain to be given as Sadaqatul Fitr is that which is normally eaten by the people and the monetary value to give is the market value and not the control value. Of course, people who eat the control grain will give the value of the control grain but only to those poor people who usually have control grain.

The crux of the matter is that the person receiving the money should be able to easily purchase grain with the money. Therefore. people who do have permits to purchase the control grain should be given the market value It is however best to purchase the grain and give it to them, And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.3