Permissibility of selling grains dedicated to feed fasting people and instead buying dates for the same purpose

Q: In the village there are farms that include specific amounts of grain that are allocated to feed people who are observing Sawm (Fast) during Ramadan. This has now been made as a Waqf, entrusted to the farmers, as no one goes to the Masjids (mosques) for food. The questioner asks: is it permissible to sell the grain and to buy dried dates with the proceeds instead and put them in the Masjid for the poor people to break their Sawm with?

A: If the reality is as mentioned by the questioner and no one comes to the Masjids to ask for the grain after it has been cooked, and there may be people in the Masjids who break their Sawm on dates, there does not seem to us to be any harm in selling the required grains from these farms and buying dates with their proceeds, which will be put in the Masjids mentioned in the wills for the poor who have been observing Sawm to break their Sawm with. This should be done under the supervision and with the permission of the judge, as he is the person legally responsible for taking care of Waqfs. (Part No. 16; Page No. 145) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.