Is it permissible to give Kaffarah to a non-believer (*Kafir*)?

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It is not permissible to give Kaffarah to a non-believer. This is the ruling of Al-Shafi'i. The basis for this is that the non-believer is not eligible, similar to the poor combatants (*Masakin Ahl al-Harb*). Since Allah mentioned feeding ten poor persons without qualification {Al-Ma'idah: 89}, some scholars argue that all the poor are included. However, the ruling is that since they are non-believers, payment is impermissible, and the qualified verse regarding warfare abrogates the general nature, applying by analogy to all other non-believers.