Answered by our Shaykh, the ‘Allāmah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu ‘Abdirrahman Yahya bin ‘Ali Al-Hajūri – may Allāh preserve him – on the 16th, Rabī Al-Awwal, 1430H
Question:
The scholars mention that sadaqatul-fitr is not accepted as money, so how about zakāt of crops of dates and raisins… and the likes of it, and is it accepted as money? and what is the difference in that? and is any of them specified by the evidence?
Answer:
Indeed the Prophet ﷺ said:
“زكاة الفطر فرض على كل مسلم حر وعبد ذكر وأنثى من المسلمين صاع من تمر أو صاع من شعير”
“Zakātul-fitr is obligatory upon every Muslim free or slave, male or female from the Muslims a sā’ of dates or a sā’ of barley.”
[Reported by Bukhāri and Muslim]
And they used to give it from their staple food as in the hadith of Abi Saīd may Allāh have mercy on him, so giving it as money is from the newly invented matters. As for zakāt of wealth then it is given as money or giving it from the same kind is allowed.
Translated by : Abu ‘Abdillah ‘Omar bin Yahya Al-‘Akawi
Original Fatwa:
الكنز الثمين في الإجابة على أسئلة طلبة العلم والزائرين (3
(https://www.sh-yahia.net/show_books_38.html)
Under: كتاب الزكاة
Entitled: حكم إخراج الزكاة مالًا في زكاة الفطر، وزكاة المزروعات