“One may choose”: this is a present-tense verb in the passive voice. Its implied subject refers to the person in ihram who has committed a prohibition. That is, the person in ihram may choose, if he commits one of these categories of prohibited acts: shaving the hair; trimming the fingernails or toenails; covering the head; or applying perfume. With regard to these four matters, he may choose between fasting for three days; feeding six needy people, giving each needy person one mudd of wheat, or half a sa‘ of dates or barley; or slaughtering a sheep.

The general evidence for this expiation is the saying of Allah, Exalted is He:

“But if any of you is ill or has an ailment of the head, then an expiation is required: fasting, charity, or sacrifice.” [al-Baqarah 2:196]

The term “fasting” is left unspecified, for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, did not specify it; rather, His Messenger ﷺ specified it. Likewise, “charity” is left unspecified, but His Messenger ﷺ specified it. As for “sacrifice,” it is specified, since nusuk means a sacrificial animal. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ explained in the hadith of Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah that the fasting is for three days, and that the charity is feeding six needy people, giving each needy person half a sa‘ (1).

His statement, “giving each needy person one mudd of wheat, or half a sa‘ of dates or barley,” apparently suggests that the food expiation is restricted to these three types: wheat, dates, and barley. This is not intended, however. Rather, what is meant is whatever people ordinarily eat, whether dates, barley, wheat, rice, corn, millet, or anything else.