from consecration. If he cannot find a camel but can find seven sheep, that suffices. If he can find nothing—neither seven sheep nor a camel—they say that he must fast ten days. But this view has no evidence. We say: if he cannot find one, the obligation is waived, just as other obligations are waived.

In Umrah, a sheep is required, and its ruling is that of the compensatory sacrifice for harm, because Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage. Moreover, every prohibited act that entails a sheep requires the compensatory sacrifice for harm, apart from hunting game. Most prohibited acts entail the compensatory sacrifice for harm. Intercourse after the first release from consecration entails a sheep, so its expiation is the compensatory sacrifice for harm. Sexual contact without ejaculation entails an expiation; and ejaculation, according to the sounder view, entails the compensatory sacrifice for harm in both Hajj and Umrah.

The expiation that is authentically established applies to three matters:

First: shaving the hair of the head.

Second: compensation for hunting game.

Third: intercourse; this is authentically reported from the Companions.

The rest has been established by analogy, and we have mentioned that some analogies are unsound. At this point, we should mention a very important principle:

First: nothing is obligatory except what Allah and His Messenger have made obligatory.

Second: it is not permissible to take the property of those whose property is inviolable except on the basis of evidence. Thus, we cannot tell people that they must give up something from their wealth except with proof. This is the basic principle. However, I have mentioned that, as a matter of instruction and guidance, one should not depart from the position held by the majority of scholars when issuing public legal opinions. As for knowledge in its theoretical sense, the truth must be made clear. Likewise, if a particular person were to seek your legal opinion regarding an issue