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The basis for Ibn Habīb’s opinion that the person paying zakat may choose between the three foodstuffs is the apparent wording of Ibn ʿUmar’s hadith:

“The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—prescribed zakat for the Muslims as one sāʿ of dates or one sāʿ of barley.”

Wheat is included alongside barley among these choices because it is superior to both barley and dates. Ibn Habīb did not allow a choice among the remaining foodstuffs. He understood the wording “such-and-such or such-and-such” in the relevant reports as assigning different foodstuffs to different circumstances, rather than granting a choice. There is, however, no evidence for this distinction.

The sixth opinion is that of the literalists: zakat al-fitr can only be discharged with dates or barley, following the apparent wording of the hadith of [Ibn ʿUmar. They based their argument concerning the hadith of] Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī—may Allah Most High be pleased with him—on the version transmitted as follows:

“We used to give as zakat al-fitr one sāʿ of food, one sāʿ of barley, or one sāʿ of dates, or one sāʿ of curds, or one sāʿ of raisins.”

In this version, the word “or” is omitted between wheat and barley. They interpreted barley as an explanation of what was meant by “food,” since the word “food” can apply to anything edible. This interpretation is far-fetched, however, because when used without qualification, “food” evidently means wheat rather than anything else. Moreover, some versions read, “one sāʿ of food or one sāʿ of barley,” with the additional “or,” thus removing the difficulty and leaving no room for the alternative interpretation.

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The measure of zakat al-fitr is one sāʿ of any foodstuff in which it may be paid, except wheat, for which some have held that two mudds suffice. Reports to this effect have been transmitted from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and from ʿUmar and other Companions. Mālik rejected all of these reports and said, “ʿUqayl,” smiling. The position Mālik adopted is the correct one. Ibn al-Mawwāz and others have already set out the evidence supporting his position on this matter, so there is no purpose in repeating it. Success comes through Allah.