Malik, and some said: The consideration is based on the staple food of the one paying the Zakat. Then, if he shifts from the required amount to one better than it, it is permissible. If he shifts to one lesser than it, there are two opinions; one is that it is permissible, due to his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement: "Enrich them so they do not need to ask" (3). Enrichment is achieved through staple food. The second [opinion] is that it is not permissible, because he has shifted from the required amount to something lesser, thus it does not suffice him, just as if he were to shift from the required amount in Zakat of wealth to something lesser. Our view is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mandated Zakat al-Fitr in specific categories, so it is not permissible to shift from them, just as if one were to pay the value instead. This is because the mention of the categories after the mention (5) of the obligation is an explanation of what is obligated; therefore, what is added to the explained [term] relates to the explanation, thus these categories are specifically obligated and it is determined that the output must be from them. Furthermore, when he provides something other than them, he deviates from what is explicitly stated (al-mansus 'alayhi), so it does not suffice, like paying the monetary value, or as if he were to provide [Zakat] on wealth from a different category. Enrichment is attained by providing from that which is explicitly stated, so there is no contradiction between the two reports, as they both indicate the necessity of enrichment through the payment of one of the obligated categories.

Section: Sult is a type of barley, so it is permissible to provide it, as it is included in what was explicitly stated. Its mention has been explicitly stated in some wordings of the hadith of Ibn 'Umar, who said: "The people used to pay Zakat al-Fitr during the era of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as a sa' of barley, [or a sa' of dried yogurt (aqit)] (6), or a sa' of sult." From Abu Sa'id, he said: "We did not pay during the era of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) except a sa' of dates, or a sa' of barley, or a sa' of raisins, or a sa' of flour, or a sa' of dried yogurt, or a sa' of sult." He said: Then Sufyan later doubted it,