A defective item is one whose taste or one of its other qualities has changed, or in which worms or weevils have appeared, for Allah, Most High, says:

“And do not aim toward the defective therefrom, spending from it while you yourselves would not take it except with closed eyes.” [al-Baqarah 2:267]

His statement, “nor bread,” means that bread does not suffice for zakat al-fitr, because it cannot be measured by volume and is not used as a staple food—although, once dried, it can be measured by volume and used as staple food. It may be said that the reason it does not suffice is that fire has affected and altered it.

The correct view regarding bread is that, if it is a staple food—such that it can be dried and people benefit from it—then there is no harm in giving it. But if it is moist, it is not suitable for use as a staple food. A question, however, arises: does pasta suffice for zakat al-fitr?

The answer is that whoever holds that bread suffices will likewise hold that pasta suffices. Whoever holds that bread does not suffice because fire has affected it will likewise hold that pasta does not suffice if fire has affected it during its manufacture. Although likening pasta to bread in every respect is open to question, we hold that giving pasta suffices so long as it is a staple food for people, since it is not identical to bread in every respect. It is measured by volume when it is small, like rice; but if it is large, it is measured by weight.

The correct view is that everything used as staple food—whether grain, fruit, meat, or the like—suffices, whether or not the five types are unavailable, based on the hadith of Abu Sa'id: “At that time, our food was barley, dates, raisins, and dried curds.” (1)