Sa' (the measure of dry goods in law: its size, the bath, zakat al-fitr and the related measures)

The sa' is a known measure for dry goods, equal to four mudds; the mudd is a quarter of it, by consensus. The wasq is sixty sa's by the Prophet's sa', the farq is three sa's (sixteen pounds), the mann an old weight of two Baghdadi pounds, and the Baghdadi pound is twelve ounces. ^{1 2}

Most jurists hold that the sa' is five and a third Iraqi pounds, citing the Prophet's words to Ka'b ibn 'Ujra: give a farq between six poor, and a farq is three sa's of sixteen pounds. Abu Hanifa holds it is eight pounds, since Anas said the Prophet made ablution with a mudd of two pounds and bathed with a sa', so the Prophet's sa' is four mudds of eight pounds. ³

All agree that bathing with a sa' is enough if the water covers the body fully, and one who covers the body with less is also valid. The Shafi'is and Hanbalis call bathing with a sa' a sunna, and say the water should not fall much below a sa' for a person of average build, citing Anas: the Prophet bathed with a sa' up to five mudds and made ablution with a mudd. The Hanafis and Malikis do not state that it is recommended. ^{3 4}

The Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold that zakat al-fitr is a sa' of wheat, barley, their flour, dates or raisins for each person, without distinction, citing Ibn 'Umar and Abu Sa'id. The jurists also say the sa' must match the measure used in the Prophet's time, and one who lacks it must give what is surely not less. The Hanafis hold it is half a sa' of wheat or its flour or porridge, or a sa' of barley or dates, citing the report of Tha'laba ibn Su'ayr al-'Udhri; this was the view of Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab, 'Ata', Tawus, Mujahid, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-Aziz, 'Urwa and Sa'id ibn Jubayr, and al-Maturidi reports ten Companions for half a sa' of wheat. For raisins, the Hanafi report differs: half a sa' in the Jami' al-Saghir, a full sa' in the report of al-Hasan and others, which is the view of Abu Yusuf and Muhammad. The Hanafis allow paying from two kinds; the Shafi'is forbid it, and the Hanbalis allow mixed kinds. ^{4 5 6}