Abu Huraira said that when Abu Bakr was made the Prophet's successor after his death and infidelity arose among certain Arabs, ‘Umar b. al-Khattab asked Abu Bakr how he could fight with the people when God’s messenger had said, “I have been commanded to fight with the people till they say there is no god but God, so whoever says so has protected his property and his person from me except for what is due from him, and his reckoning is left to God.” Abu Bakr replied, “I swear by God that I will certainly fight with those who make a distinction between prayer and zakat, for the zakat is what is due from property. I swear by God that if they were to refuse me a female kid which they used to pay to God’s messenger I would fight with them over the refusal of it." ‘Umar then said, “I swear by God that I clearly saw God had made Abu Bakr feel justified in fighting, and I recognised that it was right." (Bukhari and Muslim).
The Status of Zakat in Islam
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim establishes the fundamental position of Zakat as an inseparable pillar of Islam. Abu Bakr's decisive stance demonstrates that Zakat is not merely charity but a divinely mandated obligation equivalent to prayer in importance.
The Legal Ruling on Zakat Refusal
The Caliph's declaration "I will certainly fight with those who make a distinction between prayer and zakat" establishes the Islamic legal principle that refusal to pay Zakat constitutes apostasy when accompanied by rejection of its obligatory nature.
The phrase "if they were to refuse me a female kid" indicates that even the smallest amount of due Zakat must be collected by the Islamic state, and resistance to this collection justifies military action to uphold Islamic law.
Scholarly Interpretation of the Hadith
Classical scholars from all madhahib agree this hadith proves Zakat is among the essential pillars (arkan) of Islam. Its abandonment constitutes major disbelief (kufr akbar) when accompanied by denial of its obligation.
The narration shows that the companions reached consensus (ijma') on fighting those who refused Zakat, establishing this as a foundational principle of Islamic governance.
Practical Implications for Muslim Rulers
This precedent obligates Muslim rulers to establish systems for Zakat collection and distribution, using state authority when necessary to ensure this pillar is fulfilled.
The transformation in 'Umar's position from questioning to affirmation demonstrates how ijtihad evolves through consultation and divine guidance in matters of Islamic governance.