How can multiple expiations for oaths be discharged by feeding ten needy persons for each expiation, if there is not enough money to feed all of them at once, keeping in mind the condition of providing lunch and dinner for each needy person, and the difficulty of finding the same needy persons or going out at night?
The basic principle for expiatory feeding (kaffarat al-it'am) is to transfer ownership of food to the needy (miskin). The amount is a mudd (approximately 750 grams) or half a sa' (approximately 1.5 kilograms) of the staple food of the land. The opinion of half a sa' is more cautious. If the food's ownership is transferred to the needy person, then what they do with it does not matter. As for feeding by permission (it'am al-ibahah), such as inviting the needy to eat, it differs from feeding by transfer of ownership. The Hanafis and Malikis permitted both transfer of ownership and permission, while the Shafi'is and Hanbalis mandated transfer of ownership without permitting permission. It is permissible to give one needy person, on one day, the amount due from several expiations.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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