or clothing them,” to the end of the verse. Allah Most High thus commanded that the needy be fed with food of the average standard people feed their own families.

The scholars have differed over whether this amount is fixed by Islamic law or determined by customary practice. They have likewise differed over a wife’s maintenance. The stronger view in all these matters is that customary practice should determine it: each community should provide the food they feed their own families. Since Kaʿb ibn ʿUjra and others like him lived on dates, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—commanded him to distribute a firq of dates among six needy people. A firq is sixteen Baghdad ratls.

When a person needs to perform an act prohibited in ihram, he may offer this compensation either before or after performing it. He may slaughter the sacrificial animal before reaching Mecca, and he may fast the three days consecutively or separately, as he wishes. If he has an excuse, he may delay offering the compensation; otherwise, he is to offer it promptly. If he repeatedly wears prohibited clothing without having offered compensation, a single compensation suffices, according to the stronger of the two scholarly opinions.

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Upon entering ihram, he should recite the talbiya of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am; You have no partner; here I am. All praise, blessings, and sovereignty belong to You. There is no