Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat)

Abu Hurairah said When the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) died and Abu Bakr was made his successor after him and certain Arab clans apostatized. Umar bin Al Khattab said to Abu Bakr How can you fight with the people until they say “There is no God but Allah” so whoever says “There is no God but Allah”, he has protected his property and his person from me except for what is due from him, and his reckoning is left to allah. Abu Bak replied I swear by Allah that I will certainly fight with those who make a distinction between prayer and zakat, for zakat is what is due from property. I swear by Allah that if they were to refuse me a rope of camel (or a female kid, according to another version)which they used to pay the Messenger of Allah, I will fight with them over the refusal of it. Umar bin Al Khattab said I swear by Allah, I clearly saw Allah had made Abu Bakr feel justified in tighting and I recognized that it was right.Abu Dawud said This tradition has been transmitted by Rabah bin Zaid from Ma’mar and Al Zaubaidi from Al Zuhri has “If they were to refuse me a female kid.” The version transmitted by ‘Anbasah from Yunus on the authority of Al Zuhri has “a female kid”.

This tradition has also been transmitted by Al Zuhri through a different chain of narrators. This version has “Abu Bakr said its due is the payment of zakat.” He used the word “a rope of a Camel”

Abu Sa’id Al Khudri reported: That the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) as saying No sadaqah(zakat) is payable on less than five camels, on less than five ounces of silver and on less than five camel loads(wasq).

Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: There is no zakat payable (on grain or dates) on less than five camel-loads. The wasq (one camel-load) measures sixty sa' in weight.

Ibrahim said The wasq contained sixty sa’s stamped with the stamp of Al Hajjaj.

Habib al-Maliki said: A man said to Imran ibn Husayn: AbuNujayd, you narrate to us traditions whose basis we do not find in the Qur'an. Thereupon, Imran got angry and said to the man: Do you find in the Qur'an that one dirham is due on forty dirhams (as Zakat), and one goat is due on such-and-such number of goats, and one camel will be due on such-and-such number of camels? He replied: No. He said: From whom did you take it? You took it from us, from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He mentioned many similar things.

Narrated Samurah ibn Jundub: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to order us to pay the sadaqah (zakat) on what we prepared for trade.

'Amr bin Shu'aib on his father's authority said that his grandfather reported: A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and she was accompanied by her daughter who wore two heavy gold bangles in her hands. He said to her: Do you pay zakat on them? She said: No. He then said: Are you pleased that Allah may put two bangles of fire on your hands? Thereupon she took them off and placed them before the Prophet (ﷺ) saying: They are for Allah and His Apostle.

Narrated Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin: I used to wear gold ornaments. I asked: Is that a treasure (kanz), Messenger of Allah? He replied: whatever reaches a quantity on which zakat is payable is not a treasure (kanz) when the zakat is paid.

Narrated ‘Abdallah bin Shaddad bin Al Had : We entered upon A’ishah, wife of the Prophet (ﷺ). She said The Apostle of Allaah (ﷺ) entered upon me and saw two silver rings in my hand. He asked What is this, Aishah? I said I have made two ornaments myself for you, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He asked Do you pay zakat on them? I said No or I said Whatever Allah willed. He said this is sufficient for you (to take you) to the Hell fire.

The aforesaid tradition has also been narrated by ‘Umar bin Ya’la through a different chain of narrators, like the tradition of ring. Sufyan, a narrator, was asked How do you pay zakat on it. He said You may combine it with other (ornaments).

Narrated Hammad : I took a letter from Thumamah bin ‘Abd Allah bin Anas. He presumed that Abu Bakr had written it for Anas when he sent him (to Al Bahrain) as a collector of zakat. This (letter) was stamped with the stamp of the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) and was written by Abu Bakr for him(Anas). This letter goes “This is the obligatory sadaqah(zakat) which the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) imposed on Muslims which Allah commanded his Prophet(ﷺ) to impose. Those Muslims who are asked for the proper amount must give it, but those who are asked for more than that must not give it. For less than twenty five Camels a goat is to be given for every five Camels. When they reach twenty five to thirty five, a she Camel in her second year is to be given. If there is no she Camel in her second year, a male Camel in its third year is to be given. When they reach thirty six to forty five, a she Camel in her third year is to be given. When they reach forty six to sixty , a she Camel in her fourth year which is ready to be covered by a stallion is to be given. When they reach sixty one to seventy five, a she Camel in her fifth year is to be given. When they reach seventy six to ninety, two she Camel in their third year are to be given. When they reach ninety one to a hundred and twenty, two she Camels in their fourth year are ready to be covered by a stallion are to be given. When they exceed a hundred and twenty, a she Camel in her third year is to be given for every forty and a she Camel in her fourth year for every fifty(Camels). In case the ages of the Camel vary in the payment of obligatory sadaqah(zakat) If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her fifth year is payable does not possess one but possess one in her fourth year, that will be accepted from him along with two goats if he can conveniently give them, or else twenty dirhams. If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her fourth year is payable does not possess but possesses one in her fifth year, that will be accepted from him, and the collector must give him twenty dirhams or two goats. If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her fourth year is payable possesses only one in her third year, that will be accepted from him.”Abu Dawud said From here I could not retain accurately from Musa as I liked “And he must give along with it two goats if he can conveniently give them, or else twenty dirhams. If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her third year is payable possesses only one in her fourth year, that will be accepted from him.” Abu Dawud said (I was doubtful) up to here, and retained correctly onward “and the collector must give him twenty dirhams or two goats. If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her third year is payable does not possess one but possesses one in her second year, that will be accepted from him, but he must give two goats or twenty dirhams. Anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her second year is payable does not possess one but possesses a male Camel in its third year, that will be accepted from him, and nothing extra will be demanded along with it. If anyone possesses only four Camels, no zakat will be payable on them unless their owner wishes. If the numbers of the pasturing goats reach forty to one hundred and twenty, one goat is to be given. Over one hundred and twenty up to two hundred, two goats are to be given. If they exceed two hundred reaching three hundred, three goats are to be given. If they exceed three hundred, a goat is to be for every hundred. An old sheep, one with a defect in the eye, or a male goat is not to be accepted as sadaqah (zakat) unless the collector wishes. Those which are in separate flocks are not to be brought together and those which are in one flock are not to be separated from fear of sadaqah(zakat). Regarding what belongs to two partners, they can make claims for restitution from one another with equity, If a man’s pasturing animals are less than forty, no sadaqah(zakat) is due on them unless their owner wishes. On sliver dirhams a fortieth is payable, but if there are only a hundred and ninety, nothing is payable unless their owner wishes.”

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wrote a letter about sadaqah (zakat) but he died before he could send it to his governors. He had kept it with his sword. So AbuBakr acted upon it till he died, and then Umar acted upon it till he died. It contained: "For five camels one goat is to be given; for ten camels two goats are to be given; for fifteen camels three goats are to be given; for twenty camels four goats are to be given; for twenty-five to thirty-five camels a she-camel in her second year is to be given. If the number exceeds by one up to seventy camels, a she-camel in her fourth year is to be given; if they exceed by one up to seventy-five camels, a she-camel in her fifth year is to be given; if they exceed by one up to ninety camels, two she-camels in their third year are to be given; if they exceed by one up to one hundred and twenty, two she-camels in their fourth year are to be given. If the camels are more than this, a she-camel in her fourth year is to be given for every fifty camels, and a she-camel in her third year is to be given for every forty camels. For forty to one hundred and twenty goats one goat is to be given; if they exceed by one up to two hundred, two goats are to be given. If they exceed by one up to three hundred, three goats are to be given; if the goats are more than this, one goat for every hundred goats is to be given. Nothing is payable until they reach one hundred. Those which are in one flock are not to be separated, and those which are in separate flocks are not be brought together from fear of sadaqah (zakat). Regarding that which belongs to two partners, they can make claims for restitution from each other with equity. An old goat and a defective one are not to be accepted as sadaqah (zakat)." Az-Zuhri said: When the collector comes, the goats will be apportioned into three flocks: one containing bad, the second good, and the third moderate. The collector will take zakat from the moderate. Az-Zuhri did not mention the cows (to be apportioned in three flocks).

Therefore said tradition has also been transmitted by Sufyan bin Husain through a different chain of narrators and to the same effect. This version adds “If there is no she Camel in her second year, a she Camel in her third year is to be given.” This does not mention the words of Al Zuhri.

Ibn Shihab (Al Zuhri) said This is the copy of the letter of the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ), which he had written about sadaqah(zakat). This was in the custody of the descendants of ‘Umar bin Al Khattab. Ibn Shihab said Salim bin Abdallah bin Umar read it to me and I memorized it properly. Umar bin Abdul Aziz got it copied from ‘Abdallah, ‘Abdallah bin Umar and Salim bin ‘Abdallah bin ‘Umar. He (Ibn Shihab) then narrated the tradition like the former(i.e., up to one hundred and twenty camels). He further said if they (the camels) reach one hundred and twenty one to one hundred and twenty nine, three she camels in their third year are to be given. When they reach one hundred and thirty to one hundred and thirty nine, two she camels in their third year and one she Camel in her fourth year are to be given. When they reach one hundred and forty to one hundred and forty nine, two she camels in their fourth year and one she Camel in her third year are to be given. When they reach one hundred and fifty to one hundred and fifty nine, three she camels in their fourth year are to be given. When they reach one hundred and sixty to one hundred and sixty nine four she camels in their fourth year are to be given. When they reach one hundred and seventy to one hundred and seventy nine, three she camels in their third year and one she Camel in her fourth year are to be given. When they reach one hundred and eighty to one hundred and eighty nine, two she camels in their fourth year and two she Camel in their third year are to be given. When they reach one hundred and ninety to one hundred and ninety nine, three she camels in their fourth year and one she Camel in her third year are to be given. When they reach two hundred, four she camels in their fourth year or five she Camels in their third year, camels of whichever age are available, are to be accepted. For the pasturing goats, he narrated the tradition similar to that transmitted by Sufyan bin Husain. This version adds “An old goat, one with defect in the eye or a male goat is not to be accepted in sadaqah(zakat) unless the collector wishes.”

Narrated Malik: The statement of Umar bin Al Khattab “Those which are in separate flocks are not to be brought together and those which are in one flock are not to be separated” means Two persons had forty goats each ; when the collector came they brought them together in one flock so that only one goat could be given. The phrase “those which are in one flock are not to be separated” means If two partners possessed one hundred and one goats each, three goats were to be given by each of them. When the collector came they separated their goats. Thus only one goat was to be given by each of them. This is what I heard on this subject.

Al-Harith al-A'war reported from Ali. Zuhayr said: I think, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Pay a fortieth. A dirham is payable on every forty, but you are not liable for payment until you have accumulated two hundred dirhams. When you have two hundred dirhams, five dirhams are payable, and that proportion is applicable to larger amounts. "Regarding sheep, for every forty sheep up to one hundred and twenty, one sheep is due. But if you possess only thirty-nine, nothing is payable on them." He further narrated the tradition about the sadaqah (zakat) on sheep like that of az-Zuhri. "Regarding cattle, a yearling bull calf is payable for every thirty, and a cow in her third year for forty, and nothing is payable on working animals. Regarding (the zakat on) camels, he mentioned the rates that az-Zuhri mentioned in his tradition. He said: "For twenty-five camels, five sheep are to be paid. If they exceed by one, a she-camel in her second year is to be given. If there is no she-camel in her second year, a male camel in its third year is to be given, up to thirty-five. If they exceed by one a she-camel in her third year is to be given, up to forty-five. If they exceed by one, a she-camel in her fourth year which is ready to be covered by a bull-camel is to be given." He then transmitted the rest of the tradition like that of az-Zuhri. He continued: If they exceed by one, i.e. they are ninety-one to hundred and twenty, two she-camels in their fourth year, which are ready to be covered by a bull-camel, are to be given. If there are more camels than that, a she-camel in her fourth year is to be given for every fifty. Those which are in one flock are not to be separated, and those which are separate are not to be brought together. An old sheep, one with a defect in the eye, or a billy goat is not to be accepted as a sadaqah unless the collector is willing. As regards agricultural produce, a tenth is payable on that which is watered by rivers or rain, and a twentieth on that which is watered by draught camels." The version of Asim and al-Harith says: "Sadaqah (zakat) is payable every year." Zuhayr said: I think he said "Once a year". The version of Asim has the words: "If a she-camel in her second year is not available among the camels, nor is there a bull-camel in its third year, ten dirhams or two goats are to be given."

Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When you possess two hundred dirhams and one year passes on them, five dirhams are payable. Nothing is incumbent on you, that is, on gold, till it reaches twenty dinars. When you possess twenty dinars and one year passes on them, half a dinar is payable. Whatever exceeds, that will be reckoned properly." (The narrator said: I do not remember whether the words "that will be reckoned properly" were uttered by All himself or he attributed them to the Prophet (ﷺ). No zakat is payable on property till a year passes on it. But Jarir said: Ibn Wahb (sub-narrator) added to this tradition from the Prophet (ﷺ): "No zakat is payable on property until a year passes away on it."

Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: I have given exemption regarding horses and slaves; with regard to coins, however, you must pay a dirham for every forty (dirhams), but nothing is payable on one hundred and ninety. When the total reaches two hundred, five dirhams are payable.Abu Dawud said: Al-A'mash transmitted this tradition from Abu Ishaq like the one transmitted by Abu 'Awanah. This tradition has also been narrated by Shaiban, Abu Mu'awiyah and Ibrahim b. Tahman from Abu Ishaq from al-Harith on the authority of 'Ali from the Prophet (ﷺ) to the same effect. The tradition reported by al-Nufail has also been narrated by Shu'bah, Sufyan, and others from Abu Ishaq from 'Asim from 'Ali, But they did not attribute it to the Prophet (ﷺ).

Bahz b Hakim reported from his grandfather: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: For forty pasturing camels, one she-camel in her third year is to be given. The camels are not to be separated from reckoning. He who pays zakat with the intention of getting reward will be rewarded. If anyone evades zakat, we shall take half the property from him as a due from the dues of our Lord, the Exalted. There is no share in it (zakat) of the descendants of Muhammad (ﷺ).

Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal: When the Prophet (ﷺ) sent him to the Yemen, he ordered him to take a male or a female calf a year old for every thirty cattle and a cow in its third year for every forty, and one dinar for every adult (unbeliever as a poll-tax) or cloths of equivalent value manufactured in the Yemen.

This tradition has also been transmitted by Mu’adh through a different chain of narrators to the same effect.

Narrated Mu’adh bin Jabal : that the Prophet (ﷺ) sent him to Yemen. He then narrated the tradition something similar. He did not mention in this version cloths made in the Yemen nor did he refer to adult (unbelievers).Abu Dawud said This tradition has been transmitted by Jarir, Ya’la, Ma’mar, Abu ‘Awanahand Yahya bin Sa’id from Al A’mash, from Abu Wa’il, on the authority of Masruq, and from Ya’la and Ma’mar on the authority of Mu’adh to the same effect.

Suwaid bin Ghaflah reported The collector of the Prophet (ﷺ) came to us. I caught hold of his hand and read in the document that the goods were not to be combined nor were they to be separated for fear of zakat. There is no mention of milch animals in this tradition.

Muslim ibn Shu'bah said: Nafi' ibn Alqamah appointed my father as charge d'affaires of his tribe, and commanded him to collect sadaqah (zakat) from them. My father sent me to a group of them; so I came to an aged man called Sa'r ibn Disam I said: My father has sent me to you to collect zakat from you. He asked: What kind of animals will you take, my nephew? I replied: We shall select the sheep and examine their udders. He said: My nephew, I shall narrate a tradition to you. I lived on one of these steppes during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) along with my sheep. Two people riding a camel came to me. They said to me: We are messengers of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), sent to you so that you may pay the sadaqah (zakat) on your sheep. I asked: What is due from me for them? They said: One goat. I went to a goat which I knew was full of milk and fat, and I brought it to them. They said: This is a pregnant goat. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited us to accept a pregnant goat. I asked: What will you take then? They said: A goat in its second year or a goat in its third year. I then went to a goat which had not given birth to any kid, but it was going to do so. I brought it to them. They said: Give it to us. They took it on the camel and went away.Abu Dawud said: Abu 'Asim transmitted this tradition from Zakariyya. He said: Muslim bin Shu'bah is a narrator in the chain of this tradition as reported by the narrator Rawh.

This tradition has also been narrated by Zakariyya bin Ishaq through his chain of narrators. In this version Mulsim bin Shu'bah said: Shafi' means a goat which has a baby in its womb.Abu Dawud said: I read in a document possessed by Abdullah ibn Salim at Hims: Abdullah ibn Mu'awiyah al-Ghadiri reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: He who performs three things will have the taste of the faith. (They are:) One who worships Allah alone and one believes that there is no god but Allah; and one who pays the zakat on his property agreeably every year. One should not give an aged animal, nor one suffering from itch or ailing, and one most condemned, but one should give animals of medium quality, for Allah did not demand from you the best of your animals, nor did He command you to give the animals of worst quality.

Narrated Ubayy ibn Ka'b: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commissioned me as a collector of zakat. I visited a man. When he had collected his property of camels, I found that a she-camel in her second year was due from him. I said to him: Pay a she-camel in her second year, for she is to be paid as sadaqah (zakat) by you. He said: That one is not worthy of milking and riding. Here is another she-camel which is young, grand and fat. So take it. I said to him: I shall not take an animal for which I have not been commanded. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is here near to you. If you like, go to him, and present to him what you presented to me. Do that; if he accepts it from you, I shall accept it; if he rejects it, I shall reject it. He said: I shall do it. He accompanied me and took with him the she-camel which he had presented to me. We came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said to him: Prophet of Allah, your messenger came to me to collect zakat on my property. By Allah, neither the Messenger of Allah nor his messenger has ever seen my property before. I gathered my property (camels), and he estimated that a she-camel in her second year would be payable by me. But that has neither milk nor is it worth riding. So I presented to him a grand young she-camel for acceptance as zakat. But he has refused to take her. Look, she is here; I have brought her to you, Messenger of Allah. Take her. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: That is what is due from you. If you give voluntarily a better (animal) Allah will give a reward to you for it. We accept her from you. She is here, Messenger of Allah; I have brought her to you. So take her. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then ordered me to take possession of it, and he prayed for a blessing on his property.

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: said When the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) sent Mu’adh to Yemen, he said to him You are going to a people who are people of the book. So call them to bear witness that there is no diety but Allah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they obey you in this respect, tell them that Allah has prescribed five prayers on them every day and night. If they obey you in this regard tell them that Allah has prescribed sadaqah(zakat) on their property and returned it to their poor. If they obey you in this respect, do not take the best of their property. Beware of the curse of the oppressed, for there is no curtain between it and Allah.

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He who collects more sadaqah than is due is like him who refuses to pay it.

Narrated Bashir ibn al-Khasasiyyah: (Ibn Ubayd said in the version of his tradition that his name was not Bashir, but (it was) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (who had) named him Bashir) We said: (to the Messenger of Allah): The collectors of sadaqah collect more than is due; can we hide our property to that proportion? He replied: "No."