Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām

قال الشيخ رحمه الله:) الفطرة صاع من تمر أو حنطة أو شعير أو زبيب ومن جميع ما تقدم(

The Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, said: “Al-fitrah is a sa’ of dates, or wheat, or barley, or raisins, and of all that has preceded.”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ اَلْأَشْعَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ كَمْ تُدْفَعُ عَنْ كُلِّ رَأْسٍ مِنَ اَلْحِنْطَةِ وَ اَلشَّعِيرِ وَ اَلتَّمْرِ وَ اَلزَّبِيبِ قَالَ» صَاعٌ بِصَاعِ اَلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ«.

Muhammad ibn Yaqub, from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Muhammad ibn Khalid, from Sa’ad ibn Sa’ad al-Ashari, from Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: I (narrator) asked Imam (a.s) about ‘the (zakat of) Fitrah, how much is to be paid for every head from wheat, barley, dates, and raisins?’ Imam (a.s) said: “One sa’ according to the sa’ of the Prophet (saws), Allah (swt) bless him and his family.”

وعنه عن عدة من أصحابنا عن احمد بن محمد عن ابن ابي نجران وعلي بن الحكم عن صفوان الجمال قال: سألت ابا عبد الله عليه السلام عن الفطرة فقال: على الصغير والكبير والحر والعبد عن كل إنسان صاع من بر أو صاع من تمر أو صاع من زبيب

And from him, from several of our companions, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Ibn Abi Najran and Ali ibn al-Hakam, from Safwan al-Jammal, who said: I (narrator) asked Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, about ‘(zakat of) al-fitrah.’ Imam (a.s) said: “It is upon the young and the old, the free and the slave; on behalf of every person, a sa’ of wheat, or a sa’ of dates, or a sa’ of raisins.”

سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ اَلْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلْفِطْرَةِ قَالَ» يُعْطَى مِنَ اَلْحِنْطَةِ صَاعٌ وَ مِنَ اَلشَّعِيرِ صَاعٌ وَ مِنَ اَلْأَقِطِ صَاعٌ«.

Sa’ad ibn Abdullah, from Muhammad ibn Abd al-Jabbar, from Safwan ibn Yahya, from Jafar ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Abdullah ibn al-Mughirah, from Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha (a.s), peace be upon him: (Imam (a.s) was asked) regarding ‘the (zakat of) Fitrah.’ Imam (a.s) said: “One sa’ is given from wheat, one sa’ from barley, and one sa’ from dried yoghurt (aqit).”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:» يُعْطِي أَصْحَابُ اَلْإِبِلِ وَ اَلْبَقَرِ وَ اَلْغَنَمِ فِي اَلْفِطْرَةِ مِنَ اَلْأَقِطِ صَاعاً«.

And from him, from Muhammad ibn Abd al-Jabbar, from Safwan ibn Yahya, from Muhammad ibn Abi Hamzah, from Muawiyah ibn Ammar, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: Imam (a.s) said: “The owners of camels, cattle, and sheep give, in the Fitrah, one sa’ of dried yoghurt (aqit).”

الحسين بن سعيد عن حماد بن عيسى عن عبد الله بن ميمون عن ابي عبد الله عن ابيه عليهما السلام قال: زكاة الفطرة صاع من تمر أو صاع من زبيب أو صاع من شعير أو صاع من أقط عن كل إنسان حر أو عبد صغير أو كبير، وليس على من لا يجد ما يتصدق به حرج

Al-Husayn ibn Said, from Hammad ibn Isa, from Abdullah ibn Maymun, from Imam Ja’far (a.s) from his father, Imam al-Baqir (a.s), peace be upon them both, said: (Imam (a.s) said) “Zakat al-fitrah is a sa’ of dates, or a sa’ of raisins, or a sa’ of barley, or a sa’ of dried curd (aqit), on behalf of every person, free or slave, young or old. And there is no hardship upon one who does not find anything to give in charity.”

اِبْنُ قُولَوَيْهِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ قَالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ اَلرَّازِيِّ فِي زَكَاةِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ وَسَأَلْنَاهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ فِي ذَلِكَ إِلَى مَوْلاَنَا يَعْنِي عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَكَتَبَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ قَدْ خَرَجَ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ »أَنَّهُ يُخْرَجُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ اَلتَّمْرِ وَ اَلْبُرِّ وَ غَيْرِهِ صَاعٌ« وَ لَيْسَ عِنْدَنَا بَعْدَ جَوَابِهِ عَلَيْنَا فِي ذَلِكَ اِخْتِلاَفٌ.

Ibn Qulawayh, from Jafar ibn Muhammad ibn Masud, from Jafar ibn Maruf, who said: I (narrator) wrote to Abu Bakr al-Radhi regarding ‘Zakat al-Fitrah’, and we asked him to write concerning that to our master, meaning Imam Ali ibn Muhammad (a.s), peace be upon him. So al-Radhi wrote that this had already come out to Ali ibn Mahziyar: “That one sa’ is to be taken out from everything: dates, wheat (burr), and other than it.” And after his answer to us regarding that, there is no disagreement among us.

فَأَمَّا مَا رَوَاهُ اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ اِبْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ صَدَقَةِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ فَقَالَ» عَلَى كُلِّ مَنْ يَعُولُ اَلرَّجُلُ عَلَى اَلْحُرِّ وَاَلْعَبْدِ وَاَلصَّغِيرِ وَاَلْكَبِيرِ صَاعٌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ نِصْفُ صَاعٍ مِنْ بُرٍّ وَ اَلصَّاعُ أَرْبَعَةُ أَمْدَادٍ«.

As for what al-Husayn ibn Said narrated from Safwan, from Ibn Muskan, from al-Halabi, who said: I (narrator) asked Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, about ‘the charity of al-Fitrah.’ Imam (a.s) said: “Upon everyone whom the man supports, upon the free person and the slave, the young and the old, is one sa’ of dates, or half a sa’ of wheat (burr), and the sa’ is four mudds (amdad).”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ اَلْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي صَدَقَةِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ فَقَالَ» تَصَدَّقْ عَنْ جَمِيعِ مَنْ تَعُولُ مِنْ صَغِيرٍ أَوْ كَبِيرٍ أَوْ حُرٍّ أَوْ مَمْلُوكٍ عَلَى كُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ نِصْفُ صَاعٍ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ وَ اَلصَّاعُ أَرْبَعَةُ أَمْدَادٍ«.

And from him, from Hammad, from Abdullah ibn al-Mughirah, from Abdullah ibn Sinan, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him: (Imam (a.s) was asked) regarding ‘the charity of al-Fitrah.’ Imam (a.s) said: “Give charity on behalf of all whom you support, whether young or old, free or owned slave. Upon every person is half a sa’ of wheat, or one sa’ of dates, or one sa’ of barley, and the sa’ is four mudds (amdad).”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ:» اَلصَّدَقَةُ لِمَنْ لاَ يَجِدُ اَلْحِنْطَةَ وَ اَلشَّعِيرَ يُجْزِي عَنْهُ اَلْقَمْحُ وَاَلْعَدَسُ وَ اَلذُّرَةُ نِصْفُ صَاعٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ زَبِيبٍ«.

And from him, from Hammad, from Hariz, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, who said: I (narrator) heard Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, saying: “Charity, for one who does not find wheat and barley, wheat (qamh), lentils, and maize suffice for him, half a sa’ from all of that, or one sa’ of dates or raisins.”

إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ اَلْأَحْمَرِيُّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ سَهْلٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ وَ بُرَيْدٍ وَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالُوا: سَأَلْنَاهُمَا عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ زَكَاةِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ قَالاَ» صَاعٌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ زَبِيبٍ أَوْ شَعِيرٍ أَوْ نِصْفُ ذَلِكَ كُلُّهُ حِنْطَةٌ أَوْ دَقِيقٌ أَوْ سَوِيقٌ أَوْ ذُرَةٌ أَوْ سُلْتٌ عَنِ اَلصَّغِيرِ وَ اَلْكَبِيرِ وَ اَلذَّكَرِ وَ اَلْأُنْثَى وَاَلْبَالِغِ وَ مَنْ تَعُولُ فِي ذَلِكَ سَوَاءٌ«.

Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Ahmari, from Abdullah ibn Hammad, from Ismail ibn Sahl, from Hammad, and Burayd, and Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja’far (a.s) and Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon them both, said: We asked the both Imams (a.s), peace be upon them both, about ‘Zakat al-Fitrah.’ They (a.s) both said: “One sa’ of dates, or raisins, or barley, or half of all of that as wheat, or flour, or parched flour, or maize, or a type of barley without husk (sult), on behalf of the young and the old, the male and the female, the adult, and those whom you support; in that they are the same.”

فهذه الاخبار وما يجري مجراها خرجت مخرج التقية ووجه التقية فيها ان السنة كانت جارية في إخراج الفطرة بصاع من كل شئ، فلما كان زمن عثمان وبعده في ايام معاوية لعنه الله جعل نصف صاع من حنطة بازاء صاع من تمر وتابعهم الناس على ذلك فخرجت هذه الاخبار وفاقا لهم على جهة التقية. والذي يدل على ما ذكرناه ما رواه:

Thus, these reports and what runs according to their course were issued in the manner of precautionary dissimulation (taqiyyah). The aspect of precautionary dissimulation (taqiyyah) in them is that the Sunnah had been current in paying al-fitrah as a sa’ of everything. Then, when it was the time of Uthman, and after him in the days of Muawiyah, may Allah (swt) curse him, half a sa’ of wheat was made equivalent to a sa’ of dates, and the people followed them in that. So these reports were issued in agreement with them by way of precautionary dissimulation (taqiyyah). And that which indicates what we have mentioned is what was narrated (in the following hadith):

اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:» صَدَقَةُ اَلْفِطْرَةِ عَلَى كُلِّ صَغِيرٍ وَ كَبِيرٍ حُرٍّ أَوْ عَبْدٍ عَنْ كُلِّ مَنْ تَعُولُ يَعْنِي مَنْ تُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ صَاعٌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ زَبِيبٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي زَمَنِ عُثْمَانَ حَوَّلَهُ مُدَّيْنِ مِنْ قَمْحٍ«.

Al-Husayn ibn Said, from Fadalah, from Aban, from Salamah Abu Hafs, from Imam Ja’far (a.s) from his father, Imam al-Baqir (a.s), peace be upon them both, who said: Imam (a.s) said: “The charity of al-Fitrah is upon every young and old, free person or slave, on behalf of everyone whom you support, meaning whom you spend upon: one sa’ of dates, or one sa’ of barley, or one sa’ of raisins. Then when it was in the time of Uthman, he changed it to two mudds (muddayn) of wheat (qamh).”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْمَغْرَاءِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ اَلْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: أَنَّهُ ذَكَرَ» صَدَقَةَ اَلْفِطْرَةِ أَنَّهَا عَلَى كُلِّ صَغِيرٍ وَكَبِيرٍ مِنْ حُرٍّ أَوْ عَبْدٍ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى صَاعٌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ زَبِيبٍ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ أَوْ صَاعٌ مِنْ ذُرَةٍ« قَالَ» فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي زَمَنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ« لَعَنَهُ اَللَّهُ» وَخَصَبَ اَلنَّاسُ عَدَلَ اَلنَّاسُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ إِلَى نِصْفِ صَاعٍ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ«.

And from him, from Fadalah, from Abu al-Maghra, from Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Hadhdha, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him: Imam (a.s) mentioned “the charity of al-Fitrah, that it is upon every young and old, from free person or slave, male or female. It is one sa’ of dates, or one sa’ of raisins, or one sa’ of barley, or one sa’ of maize.” And Imam (a.s) said: “Then when it was in the time of Muawiyah (may Allah (swt) curse him) and the people became prosperous, the people turned away from that to half a sa’ of wheat.”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ:» فِي اَلْفِطْرَةِ جَرَتِ اَلسُّنَّةُ بِصَاعٍ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ صَاعٍ مِنْ زَبِيبٍ أَوْ صَاعٍ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي زَمَنِ عُثْمَانَ وَ كَثُرَتِ اَلْحِنْطَةُ قَوَّمَهُ اَلنَّاسُ فَقَالَ نِصْفُ صَاعٍ مِنْ بُرٍّ بِصَاعٍ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ«.

And from him, from Hammad ibn Isa, from Muawiyah ibn Wahb, who said: I (narrator) heard Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, saying: “Regarding the Fitrah, the Sunnah was established as one sa’ of dates, or one sa’ of raisins, or one sa’ of barley. Then when it was in the time of Uthman and wheat became abundant, the people assessed its value. So Uthman said, ‘Half a sa’ of wheat (burr) is equal to one sa’ of barley.’”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَبَّادِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ :»أَنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنْ جَعَلَ مُدَّيْنِ مِنَ اَلزَّكَاةِ عِدْلَ صَاعٍ مِنْ تَمْرٍ عُثْمَانُ«.

Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Faddal, from Abbad ibn Yaqub, from Ibrahim ibn Abi Yahya, from Abu Abdillah Imam Ja’far (a.s) from his father, Imam al-Baqir (a.s), peace be upon them both: Imam (a.s) said: “The first one who made two mudds (muddayn) of Zakat equal to one sa’ of dates was Uthman.”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ اَلصَّفَّارُ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ يَاسِرٍ اَلْقُمِّيِّ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:» اَلْفِطْرَةُ صَاعٌ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ وَ صَاعٌ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ وَ صَاعٌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ وَ صَاعٌ مِنْ زَبِيبٍ وَ إِنَّمَا خَفَّفَ اَلْحِنْطَةَ مُعَاوِيَةُ« لَعَنَهُ اَللَّهُ.

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Saffar, from Yaqub ibn Yazid, Yasir al-Qummi, from Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha (a.s): Imam (a.s) said: “Fitrah is one sa’ of wheat, one sa’ of barley, one sa’ of dates, and one sa’ of raisins. It was only Muawiyah who reduced the wheat.” (May Allah (swt) curse him)

فأما الذي يدل على كمية الصاع ما رواه:

As for that which indicates the quantity of the sa’, it is what was narrated (in the following hadith):

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بِلاَلٍ قَالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَى اَلرَّجُلِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ وَ كَمْ تُدْفَعُ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ» سِتَّةُ أَرْطَالٍ مِنْ تَمْرٍ بِالْمَدَنِيِّ وَ ذَلِكَ تِسْعَةٌ بِالْبَغْدَادِيِّ«.

Muhammad ibn Yaqub, from some of our companions, from Muhammad ibn Isa, from Ali ibn Bilal, who said: I (narrator) wrote to the man (Imam (a.s)), peace be upon him, asking him about ‘the Fitrah and how much is to be paid.’ He (narrator) said: “Imam (a.s), peace be upon him, wrote: ‘Six artal of dates according to the Madani measure, and that is nine according to the Baghdadi measure.’”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْهَمَذَانِيِّ وَ كَانَ مَعَنَا حَاجّاً قَالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَى يَدِ أَبِي جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَنَا اِخْتَلَفُوا فِي اَلصَّاعِ بَعْضُهُمْ يَقُولُ اَلْفِطْرَةُ بِصَاعِ اَلْمَدَنِيِّ وَبَعْضُهُمْ يَقُولُ بِصَاعِ اَلْعِرَاقِيِّ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ» اَلصَّاعُ سِتَّةُ أَرْطَالٍ بِالْمَدَنِيِّ وَ تِسْعَةُ أَرْطَالٍ بِالْعِرَاقِيِّ« قَالَ وَ أَخْبَرَنِي» أَنَّهُ يَكُونُ بِالْوَزْنِ أَلْفاً وَ مِائَةً وَ سَبْعِينَ وَزْنَةً«.

And from him, from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Muhammad ibn Ahmad, from Jafar ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Hamadhani, and he was with us as a pilgrim, who said: I (narrator) wrote to Abu al-Hasan (a.s), peace be upon him, through my father: “May I be made your ransom, our companions have differed regarding the sa’; some of them say the Fitrah is according to the Madani sa’, And some of them say according to the Iraqi sa’.” He (narrator) said: “Imam (a.s) wrote to me: ‘The sa’ is six artal according to the Madani measure, and nine artal according to the Iraqi measure.” He (narrator) said: “And Imam (a.s) informed me ‘that by weight it is one thousand one hundred and seventy waznah.’”

وَ أَمَّا مَا رَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلرَّيَّانِ قَالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَى اَلرَّجُلِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ وَ زَكَاتِهَا كَمْ تُؤَدَّى فَكَتَبَ» أَرْبَعَةُ أَرْطَالٍ بِالْمَدَنِيِّ«.

And as for what Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya narrated from Muhammad ibn Isa, from Muhammad ibn al-Rayyan, who said: I (narrator) wrote to the man (Imam (a.s)), peace be upon him, asking Imam (a.s) about ‘the Fitrah and its Zakat, how much is to be paid?’ Imam (a.s) wrote: “Four artal according to the Madani measure.”

فيحتمل هذا الخبر وجهين، أحدهما. انه أراد عليه السلام اربعة أمداد فتصحف على الراوي بالارطال وقد قدمنا ذلك فيما مضى. والثاني: انه اراد اربعة ارطال من اللبن والاقط لان من كان قوته ذلك يجب عليه منه القدر المذكور في الخبر حسب ما قدمناه، يبين ذلك ما رواه:

This report may bear two meanings. One of them is that the Imam (a.s), peace be upon him, intended four mudds (amdad), but it was altered in transcription for the narrator into ratls (artal), and we have already presented that previously. The second is that he intended four ratls of milk (laban) and dried curd (aqit), because whoever has that as his staple food, the amount mentioned in the report is obligatory upon him from it, according to what we have already presented. What makes that clear is what was narrated (in the following hadith):

محمد بن احمد بن يحيى عن ابراهيم بن هاشم قال: حدثنا أبو الحسن علي بن سليمان عن الحسن بن علي عن القاسم بن الحسن رفعه عن ابي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: سئل عن رجل في البادية لا يمكنه الفطرة قال :تصدق بأربعة ارطال من اللبن

Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya, from Ibrahim ibn Hashim, who said: Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Sulayman narrated to us, from al-Hasan ibn Ali, from al-Qasim ibn al-Hasan, raising it (rafahu), from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: Imam (a.s) was asked about ‘a man in the desert (badiyah) who is not able to pay al-fitrah.’ Imam (a.s) said: “Let him give four ratls (artal) of milk in charity.”