I say, and with God's success: The obligation stated regarding Zakat al-Fitr is in terms of it being a valuable asset in general, not in terms of it being a specific item; it is permissible to give from all the specified types: such as wheat, dates, and barley, or their value in dirhams, dinars, or other forms of currency or goods, or whatever one wishes; because the true obligation is to provide for the poor; as he (peace be upon him) said: 'Provide for them so that they do not ask on such a day,' as mentioned in Ibn Sa'd's Tabaqat 1: 248, and in the knowledge of hadith sciences, p. 131, and in Sunan al-Daraqutni 2: 152. And providing for them is achieved through the value, which is indeed more complete and sufficient; because it is closer to fulfilling the need. Thus, it is clear that the text is conditioned by the act of providing, and that in permitting the value, the ruling of the text is considered in reality. However, it is not permissible to fulfill part of what is specified by part of another in terms of value, whether the one giving is of the same kind or of a different kind after it has been specified, and God knows best.