Is it sufficient to give foodstuffs other than common grains (like millet, corn, or rice) for expiation?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Fasting
Primary text
There are two established legal opinions regarding expiating with foodstuffs that are the staple diet but differ from the standard grains like wheat and barley, such as millet (dukhn), corn (dhurah), or rice. The first view, stated by Al-Qadi, is that it is not sufficient because these items are not sufficient for Zakat al-Fitr.
Supporting text
The second view, preferred by Abu Al-Khattab, asserts that it is sufficient based on the Almighty's saying: "from the average of what you feed your families" (Quran 5:89). Furthermore, the Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded general feeding without restricting it to specific types of items, meaning the obligation should remain general. It is also sufficient because the person fed the poor from their own food, which suffices, just as if their staple food was wheat and they fed from it.