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What is the correct mechanism for expiating according to Sharia and current living conditions, especially given that some charities distribute it as a food basket for families that may consist of five or more individuals, while some scholars rule that it must be given to ten needy people as stated in the Holy Quran?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The obligation in expiation for an oath is to feed ten indigent persons, with each indigent person receiving one mudd of food (approximately 750 grams of rice), though half a sa' (approximately 1.5 kilograms) is more precautionary. It is permissible to give more than one expiation to the ten indigent persons, but it is not sufficient to give a single expiation to fewer than ten indigent persons.

The Permanent Committee clarified that each of the ten expiations involves feeding ten indigent persons, or clothing them, or emancipating a believing slave. For feeding, it is sufficient to give each one half a sa' of wheat, rice, or the like. It is not permissible to pay money as expiation.

Organizations responsible for distributing expiation for oaths must observe these Shariah rulings.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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