Seadet-i Ebediyye - Endless Bliss Fifth Fascicle

imitate the Hanafî Madhhab and give the wheat’s equivalent in
silver instead of the wheat itself. The Madhâhib of Mâlikî and
Hanbalî are the same as the Shâfi’î Madhhab in this respect, and
so one sâ’ is five ritls plus one-third a ritl, that is, 694 dirham-ishar’î,
or 1680 grams. These amounts are clearly stated in the
books Kimyâ-yi-se’âdet and Manâhij-al ibâd ilel meâd. The
Turkish translation of the Arabic lexical book Kâmûs wa Okyânûs
states about the entry Sâ’: “Sâ’ is a measure of capacity that
contains four muds of lentils. One mud, an amount of two
handfuls, is equal to two ritls in the Hanafî Madhhab. Accordingly,
one sâ’ is eight ritls. In the Shâfi’î Madhhab one mud is one plus
one-third ritls, and so one sâ’ is five plus one-third ritls in that
Madhhab.” And it states about the entry Menn: “Menn, which
means batmann, is two ritls in every Madhhab.”
(Even) if a person does not fast because of a good excuse, he
(still) has to give the sadaqa fitr.
Because the sadaqa fitr is small, it is given in silver. It is written
in the book Jawhara: “When giving the sadaqa fitr, instead of
wheat or barley, its value can be given in gold or silver, in fulûs,
that is, metal coins [and paper bills], or in any other kind of
property.” And it is written in Durr-ul-mukhtâr: “Its value is given
in gold and silver.” To explain these statements, Ibni ’Âbidîn says:
“The book Jawhara says that fulûs and urûz, that is, kinds of
property, can be given, yet when ‘value’ is said gold and silver are
usually meant. Also Zeyla’î ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih’ states that
it is better to give its value in gold or silver.” Then, one should
follow the words of the majority and give the fitra in gold or silver.
Silver money is not in use now. And the value of paper money has
been made dependent upon that of gold. Therefore, the value of
silver in terms of the currency is below its value dictated in the
rules of Islam. It is given with its value according to the currency
so that it will be to the advantage of the poor. In case it is difficult
to give them, one should give half a sâ’ [1750 grams] of wheat or
flour instead of giving other property or paper money. One may
also give paper money instead of gold by following the facility we
have described in the first chapter. In the Madhâhib of Mâlikî and
Hanbalî it is better to give dates, in the Shâfi’î, it is better to give
wheat, and in the Hanafî it is better to give what is most valuable.
If it is difficult also to give wheat or flour, one may give bread
or corns of equal value. In giving bread and corns, not their weight
but their cost or value is considered.
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