Who is prohibited from receiving the expiation payment?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Expiations
Primary text
Anyone from whom Zakat is prohibited is also prohibited from receiving expiation. This includes the rich, the disbeliever, and the slave. The expiation is a mandatory charity (Sadaqah Wajibah) owed to God, and it follows the same rules as Zakat regarding the recipient.
Supporting text
There are two differing views regarding whether Banu Hashim (the Prophet's family) is prohibited from receiving expiation. One view states they are prohibited based on the Prophet's statement, 'We are not lawful recipients of charity,' and by analogy with Zakat. The second view permits them, as expiation is not obligatory by the primary decree of the Lawgiver, thus resembling voluntary charity (Sadaqah Tattawvu').