Section: If he clears through his hair and a hair falls out, if it was dead hair, there is no Fidyah for it. If it was from his growing hair, there is Fidyah for it. If he is in doubt about it, there is no Fidyah for it, because the principle is the negation of liability until certainty is achieved.

678 - Issue: He said: "And for every hair of the three, there is a mudd of food."

He means if he shaves less than four, then for every hair, he owes a mudd of food. This is the opinion of al-Hasan, Ibn 'Uyaynah, and al-Shafi'i regarding less than three. From Ahmad, there is a report that for one hair there is a dirham, and for two hairs there are two dirhams. Another report from him states that for every hair, a handful of food is required. This has been narrated from 'Ata', and something similar from Malik and the Ashab al-Ra'y. Malik said: "For whatever small amount of hair is removed, there is the feeding of food." The Ashab al-Ra'y said: "He gives a small amount in charity, because there is no specific measure for it, so it necessitates the least amount to which the name of charity applies." There is a report from Malik regarding one who removes a small amount of hair: "There is no liability upon him," because the text only mandated Fidyah for shaving the entire head, so we attached to it that which the name 'head' applies to. Our position is that whatever is deemed a liability in its entirety, its parts are also deemed a liability, like hunting game. It is more appropriate that feeding becomes necessary, because the Lawgiver turned from animal sacrifice to feeding in the penalty for hunting, and here He mandated feeding alongside the animal sacrifice by way of choice, so it must return to it in cases where no blood sacrifice is required. A mudd is required because it is the least that has been mandated by the Shari'ah as a Fidyah, so it is required for the least amount of hair. The food that is sufficient to give is that which is valid for initial shaving of the head, such as wheat, barley, dates, and raisins, like that which is required for four [hairs].

Section: Whoever is permitted to shave his head due to an ailment is given a choice regarding the Fidyah before the shaving and after it. Ahmad stated this explicitly, based on what was narrated that al-Husayn ibn 'Ali suffered from his head, and 'Ali was brought [to him]...