Is it permissible to give Zakat al-Fitr in cash to buy food items (such as oil, rice, spices, and meat) to prepare a Biryani feast for needy families one day before Eid?

The original form of Zakat al-Fitr is the staple food of the country and their basic sustenance. There is no harm in giving rice if it is the staple food of the country. As for meat, it is not a staple food but a condiment, and it is not permissible to give oil and spices because they are not staple foods but rather things used to improve food. The people of each country should give from their prevalent sustenance, and the intention is to fulfill the needs of the poor with the same type of food that the people of their country consume.

It is not permissible to give Zakat al-Fitr to relatives whose maintenance is obligatory, such as spouses, children, and parents.