But many people ask about feeding the poor and say, "I cannot find ten poor people. If, for example, I gave to three or four poor people each day what they need for that day, for a period of three days, two days, or four days?"

The questioner : But many people ask about feeding the poor and say, "I may not find ten poor people. If, for example, I gave to three or four poor people each day what they need for that day, for a period of ... three days, two days, or four days?"

The Shaykh : In this matter, if one does not find the poor people to feed, and if he finds no one at all, he should fast for three days, due to the generality of the statement of Allah the Exalted: because the object is omitted, and the omission of the object indicates generality ... so whoever does not find the feeding or the food.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So fasting for three days. And as for if he finds some, such as finding five, for example, or three, as I said.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : This is a point of hesitation for me: do we say he should give to those present what is sufficient for ten, due to the statement of Allah the Exalted: or do we say that the feeding is dropped here due to the absence of its threshold, which is ten, and it shifts to fasting? I hesitate between these two possibilities, and knowledge is with Allah, Mighty and Majestic. And if he sees that he should be cautious and feed the three, and also fast for three days,

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : then it is good.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Yes.