What is the most excellent method of fulfilling the expiation obligation?

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It is preferable to give grain because this avoids disagreement among scholars. Ahmad preferred dates, considering flour weak, but favored dates over flour. It can also be argued that giving bread is superior because it is more beneficial to the needy, less burdensome for them, and more immediately fulfills the purpose, as the needy person can eat it immediately for their day's sustenance. Grain requires the effort, cost, potential loss, and delay associated with milling and baking it, which might result in insufficient bread for the day, thus defeating the purpose while causing harm.