and deliberately undertook. “Its expiation” means the expiation for the oaths you have deliberately bound yourselves by, if you break them: “feeding ten needy people.” They differed regarding its amount. Some held that each needy person should be given one mudd of food according to the Prophet’s mudd, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which is one and one-third ratls of the staple food of the locality. The same applies to all expiations. This was the view of Zayd ibn Thabit, Ibn Abbas, and Ibn Umar, and it was also held by Saʿid ibn al-Musayyib, al-Qasim, Sulayman ibn Yasar, Ata, and al-Hasan.

The scholars of Iraq said: He must give each needy person two mudd ⦗11⦘—that is, half a saʿ. This is narrated from Umar and Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both.

Abu Hanifah said: If he gives wheat, then it is half a saʿ; but if he gives something other than wheat, then it is a full saʿ. This was also the view of al-Shabi, al-Nakhaʿi, Saʿid ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, and al-Hakam.

If he gives them a morning meal and an evening meal, this is not valid. Abu Hanifah, however, deemed it valid, and this is also narrated from Ali, may Allah be pleased with him.

Neither silver coins, gold coins, bread, nor flour are valid; rather, the grain itself must be given to them. Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him, permitted all of these.

If he gives the entire amount to one needy person, it is not valid (1). Abu Hanifah permitted giving the food due for ten people to a single needy person over ten days. It may only be given to a needy, free Muslim. If it is given to a non-Muslim protected subject, a slave, or a wealthy person, it is not valid. Abu Hanifah permitted giving it to non-Muslim protected subjects. They agreed, however, that zakah may not be given to non-Muslim protected subjects.

His saying, Exalted is He: “from the average of what you feed your families,” means: from the regular staple food of your dependents. Ubaydah al-Salmani said: “The middle level is bread and vinegar; the higher level is bread and meat; and the lowest level is plain bread. All of them suffice” (2).

His saying, Exalted is He: “or clothing them.” Whoever is required to offer expiation for an oath has a choice: if he wishes, he may feed ten needy people; if he wishes, he may clothe them; and if he wishes, he may free a slave. If he chooses to provide clothing, they differed regarding its amount.

Some held that he should give each needy person a single garment that qualifies as clothing, such as a lower wrap, an upper wrap, a shirt, trousers, a turban, a cloak, or the like. This was the view of Ibn Abbas, al-Hasan, Mujahid, Ata, and Tawus, and it was the position adopted by al-Shafiʿi, may Allah Most High have mercy on him.