Is it obligatory to avail oneself of the concessions for travel (rukhas al-safar) when visiting relatives in Riyadh, and what is the difference between one's homeland (balad al-mawtin) and a place of residence (balad al-istiṭān) concerning travel concessions? Is it necessary to re-fast the missed days (qaḍāʾ) along with offering expiation (kaffārah), or is it sufficient to offer expiation only, and how is the amount of expiation calculated?

The authoritative opinion for us is that whoever intends to reside in a country for four days or more is obligated to complete the prayer and is not permitted to avail themselves of the concessions of travel, because they have become a resident, and travel is terminated by the intention of residency. As for whoever intends to reside for less than four days or does not know, they are permitted to avail themselves of the concessions of travel.

If a person leaves their original homeland, abandoning the intention of returning, and settles elsewhere, their first homeland is no longer considered their homeland, and they are permitted to shorten the prayer if they pass through it. The original homeland is invalidated by another original homeland, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions did when they migrated to Medina.

As for the expiation for delaying the making up of fasts, since you have already made up those fasts, you are not required to repeat the make-up, and it is permissible to give the expiation with the fast, or before it, or after it. Expiation is required for whoever delays making up the fast due to negligence and not for an excuse, and its amount is approximately one and a half kilograms of rice for each needy person. It is permissible to authorize a charitable organization to distribute food to the poor, and it is permissible to give it to a single poor person. The expiation is waived for whoever delayed making up the fast due to ignorance or forgetfulness.