Distinguishing the expiation of an oath between feeding and clothing, and switching from fasting

Question : A man asks: He has the expiation of an oath to fulfill. Is it permissible for him to feed five poor people and clothe five others? And is it permissible for one who has started fasting, meaning he fasted as the expiation of the oath, to break it and feed instead?

Answer : As for the first, it is not permissible, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with our command, it is rejected." So he must either feed or clothe. As for the second, which is the one who started fasting because he was unable to feed, but then became able to feed during the fast, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) mentioned that it is permissible for him to switch to feeding, because it is a transition from the lesser to the greater, and such a transition is permissible. They cited as evidence the man who vowed to pray in Bayt al-Maqdis, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Pray here," meaning in Makkah.