Imām Ahmad: Giving Money as Zakāt-ul Fitr Opposes the Sunnah

Abu Dawūd stated: It was said to Imām Ahmad (رحمه الله) while I was listening, “Should Darahim (money) be given (for Zakāt-ul Fitr)?” He said: “I fear that it wouldn’t suffice him, (as it) opposes the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.”*

Abu Tālib also stated: Imam Ahmad said to me: “Don’t give its monetary value,” then it was said to him: “Some people say ‘Umar Ibn ‘AbdulAziz used to accept its monetary value.” He (Imām Ahmad) then said: “They abandon the statement of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and they say, ‘So and so said.’ Ibn ‘Umar stated that the Messenger of Allāh obligated it (as food)¹.”*
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¹[Referring to the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar that: “The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ prescribed Zakāt al-Fiṭr as a ṣā’ of dried dates or barley to be paid on every slave and free person, male and female, old and young, from among the Muslims, and he ﷺ commanded that it should be paid before the people goes out for the (‘Eid) prayer] [al-Bukhārī #1503]”

*Source: Al-Mughni, Daar ‘Ālam-ul Kutub Print, page 295.