The Shaykh’s discussion with the students regarding the type of staple food from which zakah must be paid.

The student : In this case, Shaykh, can we focus on itam, frekah, lentils, and chickpeas?

The Shaykh : The staple food means the essential food.
The student : Ah, the essential staple food.

The Shaykh : We do not expand the scope too much. I was even asked, “What is your opinion on ghee?” My brother, even the average Arab ghee is acceptable for them.
The student : Hehehe, local ghee.

The Shaykh : Local ghee.
The student : May Allah grant him health, what Allah willed, tell him, in my right, Shaykh, on behalf of the questioner, if it is from a financial standpoint, this local ghee comes out! No, but the regular ghee, meaning its price is acceptable, meaning the tin contains three kilos, three kilos for a dollar and a quarter, is that reasonable?

The Shaykh : Syria?
The student : Yes, in Syria: regular ghee is not itam. The Shaykh used the word itam, and itam includes...
Another student : Shaykh Ahmad’s opinion on this issue of ghee and similar matters is that these are, what is it called? Weighed, meaning that one does not pay them out because one only needs to measure by volume, and how do we measure the standard, a sa' of ghee?

The Shaykh : Okay, if a person ate four handfuls of barley, and their weight came out to be, for example, a kilo and a half, or a little less, is it permissible to distribute by weight?
The student : It is permissible, but how is ghee to be measured?

The Shaykh : By the same method, by weight.
The student : By the weight of barley?

The Shaykh : No, by the weight of wheat, because ghee is much more expensive than barley, but the discussion now is regarding measuring by volume and weight.
The student : The tin comes out to a sa'?

The Shaykh : As for those who do not know these measures, in some coastal countries, for example, whose staple food is fish, fish is not measured by volume, correct?
The student: Yes.

The Shaykh : So what is their charity? It is from their food. So I say, the previous Shaykh, either he agrees with us that ghee is a staple food and is stored, in which case there is no problem with the issue that it is weighed and not measured by volume, because both volume and weight are intended to determine and specify the obligation, so that there is no excess or deficiency, as is said.