Is it permissible to pay the monetary value (Qimah) instead of the actual food or clothing for expiation?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Expiations
Primary text
It is not permissible to pay the monetary value for food or clothing in expiation. This is the established position of our Imam (Ahmad), Malik, Shafi'i, and Ibn al-Mundhir. This view is supported by the apparent meaning of the Quranic verse regarding expiation: {Feeding ten poor persons with the average of what you feed your families, or clothing them} (Quran 5:89). This verse explicitly mandates the object (food or clothing), and fulfilling the obligation requires adhering precisely to what God commanded. Furthermore, if monetary value were permitted, the choice offered between food and clothing would become meaningless, as their values might equalize or one might represent only a fraction of the other.
Supporting text
Al-Awza'i and the Companions of Opinion (Ahl al-Ra'y) permitted the payment of value because the objective is satisfying the need of the poor, which is achieved through the monetary equivalent.