with them. This is why they serve as money, unlike other forms of wealth, which are intended to be used for their own sake. Hence, the latter are measured according to natural standards or those prescribed by religious law. A mere means, whose substance and form are not themselves sought, achieves its purpose whatever form it takes.

Moreover, the prescribed quantity was five wasqs, that is, five loads. If no uniform standard were recognized here, one would have to reckon five loads according to the loads customary among each people.

Furthermore, people do not all use the name “sāʿ” for their measures, so the Lawgiver’s wording does not encompass them as it encompasses the dirham and dinar—unless, of course, it is argued that sāʿ is a name for anything used to measure capacity, on the evidence of His words:

“the king’s measuring cup.”

In that case, it would be like the term “dirham.”

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Likewise, religious law has not specified a fixed quantity for feeding ten needy people. Rather, it is as Allah says:

“from the average food you feed your families.”

In every locality, people are to provide others with enough of the average food they themselves eat, as we have explained at length elsewhere.