The ruling on paying zakat al-fitr in cash

Question : The questioner asks: Is it permissible to pay zakat al-fitr in cash? And if I am in Makkah during the period when it is obligatory to pay it, do I pay it in Makkah, or do I pay it now in my home country?

Answer : We have stated on two previous occasions that paying zakat al-fitr in cash is not permissible, because it contradicts what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said , and we have clarified that regarding the specific item mentioned in the text, a person has no choice or option; rather, he must follow what the text has brought, because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will question him on the Day of Resurrection about what he conveyed from His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). So if He questions him on the Day of Resurrection, "Why did you pay in dirhams when My Messenger obligated you to pay in food?" Let him look at what his answer will be.
It is obligatory for the Muslim to pay zakat al-fitr from the food that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) obligated. If we try to impose our limited intellects' preferences on the Shari'ah texts and encroach upon them, this is very dangerous, not only in this chapter but in many chapters of knowledge and fiqh. And praise be to Allah, if you fulfill what Allah has obligated upon you, even if the dirhams are more beneficial for the poor, you have fulfilled what Allah obligated of food. And if you want to do good to the poor, add the value of the food to it, so that you have done the obligatory and performed the voluntary, and the bounty of Allah is vast. Yes. As for paying it in Makkah while you are in Makkah now, it is better than paying it in your home country, first because of the virtue of the place, and second because zakat al-fitr follows the person. Unless the poor in the other place are in greater need; if the poor in the other place are in greater need and you transfer the zakat to them, there is no harm in that. There is no blame in paying it here even if you intended it for there. If he can contact them and say, "I have paid it," that is good. Otherwise, the obligation is what is paid first. And Allah is the provider. The important thing is shared. The specific. Peace. Okay, wait, he wants to make you happy.