The Book of Zakah

Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ammar al-Mawsili reported from al-Muafa, from Zakariyya ibn Ishaq al-Makki, who said: Yahya ibn Abdullah ibn Sayfi narrated to us, from Abu Mab ad, from Ibn Abbas, who said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Muadh to Yemen, he said to him: You are going to a people who are People of the Book. When you reach them, call them to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they obey you in that, tell them that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has prescribed five prayers for them in each day and night. If they—that is, obey you in that—then tell them that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has prescribed a charity to be taken from their wealthy and returned to their poor. If they obey you in that, then beware of the supplication of the wronged person.

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Ala reported: Mutamir narrated to us: I heard Bahz ibn Hakim relating from his father, from his grandfather, who said: I said: Prophet of Allah, I did not come to you until I had sworn more times than the number of fingers on both my hands that I would never come to you or to your religion. I was a man who understood nothing except what Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and His Messenger taught me. I ask you by the revelation of Allah: with what has your Lord sent you to us? He said: With Islam. I said: What are the signs of Islam? He said: That you say, I have submitted myself to Allah and renounced [all else], and that you establish prayer and give zakah.

Isa ibn Musawir reported: Muhammad ibn Shuaib ibn Shabur narrated to us, from Muawiyah ibn Sallam, from his brother Zayd ibn Sallam, who informed him from his grandfather Abu Sallam, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanm, that Abu Malik al-Ashari told him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Performing ablution fully is half of faith. Alhamdulillah—praise be to Allah—fills the Scale. Tasbih and takbir fill the heavens and the earth. Prayer is light, zakah is proof, patience is illumination, and the Quran is an argument for you or against you.

Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abd al-Hakam reported from Shuaib, from al-Layth, who said: Khalid informed us, from Ibn Abi Hilal, from Nuaym al-Mujmir Abu Abdullah, who said: Suhayb informed me that he heard Abu Hurairah and Abu Said say: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed us and said three times: By the One in Whose hand is my soul. Then he bowed forward, and each one of us bowed forward, weeping, not knowing what he had sworn about. Then he raised his head with glad tidings on his face, which were dearer to us than red camels. Then he said: No servant prays the five prayers, fasts Ramadan, gives zakah, and avoids the seven major sins, except that the gates of Paradise are opened for him and he is told: Enter in peace.

Amr ibn Uthman ibn Said ibn Kathir reported: My father narrated to us, from Shuaib, from al-Zuhri, who said: Humayd ibn Abd al-Rahman informed me that Abu Hurairah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Whoever gives two of something of any kind in the cause of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise: Servant of Allah, this is good for you. Paradise has gates. Whoever belongs to the people of prayer will be called from the gate of prayer; whoever belongs to the people of jihad will be called from the gate of jihad; whoever belongs to the people of charity will be called from the gate of charity; and whoever belongs to the people of fasting will be called from the gate of al-Rayyan. Abu Bakr said: Messenger of Allah, does someone who is called from one of those gates need anything further? Will anyone be called from all of them? He said: Yes, and I hope you will be among them. That is, Abu Bakr.

Hannad ibn al-Sari reported in his narration from Abu Muawiyah, from al-Amash, from al-Marur ibn Suwayd, from Abu Dharr, who said: I came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was sitting in the shade of the Ka bah. When he saw me approaching, he said: They are the losers, by the Lord of the Ka bah! I said: What is wrong with me? Perhaps something has been revealed about me. I said: Who are they, may my father and mother be ransomed for you? He said: Those with the most wealth, except the one who gives like this, this, and this—gesturing in front of him, to his right, and to his left. Then he said: By the One in Whose hand is my soul, no man dies leaving camels or cattle for which he did not pay zakah, except that they will come on the Day of Resurrection as large and fat as they ever were, trampling him with their hooves and goring him with their horns. Whenever the last of them has passed over him, the first will be brought back, until judgment is passed among the people.

Mujahid ibn Musa reported: Ibn Uyaynah narrated to us, from Jami ibn Abi Rashid, from Abu Wail, from Abdullah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Any man who has wealth but does not pay its due will have a bald serpent made into a collar around his neck; he will flee from it, but it will pursue him. Then he recited as confirmation from the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic: Do not think that those who withhold what Allah has given them from His bounty—that it is good for them. Rather, it is bad for them. What they withheld will be placed around their necks on the Day of Resurrection. [The rest of] the verse.

Ismail ibn Masud reported: Yazid ibn Zuray narrated to us: Said ibn Abi Arubah narrated to us: Qatadah narrated to us, from Abu Amr al-Ghudani, that Abu Hurairah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Any man who owns camels and does not give their due in times of hardship and ease—They asked: Messenger of Allah, what are their hardship and ease? He said: In times of difficulty and comfort. They will come on the Day of Resurrection as vigorous, fat, and spirited as they ever were. A level, open plain will be laid out for them, and they will trample him with their hooves. When the last of them has passed, the first will be brought back over him, on a day whose measure is fifty thousand years, until judgment is passed among the people and he sees his way.

Any man who owns cattle and does not give their due in times of hardship and ease: they will come on the Day of Resurrection as vigorous, fat, and spirited as they ever were. A level, open plain will be laid out for them, and every horned animal will gore him with its horns and every cloven-hoofed animal will trample him with its hooves. When the last of them has passed over him, the first will be brought back over him, on a day whose measure is fifty thousand years, until judgment is passed among the people and he sees his way.

Any man who owns sheep and does not give their due in times of hardship and ease: they will come on the Day of Resurrection as vigorous, numerous, fat, and spirited as they ever were. A level, open plain will be laid out for them, and every cloven-hoofed animal will trample him with its hoof and every horned animal will gore him with its horn; none will have twisted or broken horns. When the last of them has passed over him, the first will be brought back over him, on a day whose measure is fifty thousand years, until judgment is passed among the people and he sees his way.

Qutaybah reported: Al-Layth narrated to us, from Uqayl, from al-Zuhri, who said: Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn Utbah ibn Masud informed me, from Abu Hurairah, who said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ died and Abu Bakr succeeded him, and some of the Arabs disbelieved, Umar said to Abu Bakr: How can you fight the people when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: I have been commanded to fight the people until they say, There is no deity but Allah. Whoever says, There is no deity but Allah, has protected his wealth and life from me, except by its due right, and his reckoning is with Allah. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: By Allah, I will fight whoever separates prayer from zakah, for zakah is the due right of wealth. By Allah, if they withhold even a camel hobble that they used to give to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I will fight them for withholding it. Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: By Allah, it was only when I saw that Allah had opened Abu Bakr heart to fighting that I knew it was the truth.

Amr ibn Ali reported: Yahya narrated to us: Bahz ibn Hakim narrated to us: My father informed me, from my grandfather, who said: I heard the Prophet ﷺ say: For every forty grazing camels there is a female camel in its second year. Camels are not to be separated from their calculation. Whoever gives it seeking reward will have its reward. Whoever refuses, we will take it and half his camels, as a binding duty among the duties of our Lord. Nothing of it is lawful for the family of Muhammad ﷺ.

Ubaydullah ibn Said reported: Sufyan narrated to us: Amr ibn Yahya informed me. And Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna and Muhammad ibn Bashshar reported from Abd al-Rahman, from Sufyan, Shubah, and Malik, from Amr ibn Yahya, from his father, from Abu Said al-Khudri, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: No zakah is due on less than five awsuq; no zakah is due on fewer than five camels; and no zakah is due on less than five awaq.

Isa ibn Hammad reported: Al-Layth informed us, from Yahya ibn Said, from Amr ibn Yahya ibn Umarah, from his father, from Abu Said al-Khudri, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: No zakah is due on fewer than five camels, no zakah is due on less than five awaq, and no zakah is due on less than five awsuq.

Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak reported: Al-Muzaffar ibn Mudrik, Abu Kamil, narrated to us: Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us: I took this document from Thumamah ibn Abdullah ibn Anas ibn Malik, from Anas ibn Malik, that Abu Bakr wrote for them: These are the prescribed alms that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prescribed for the Muslims, as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, commanded His Messenger ﷺ. Whoever among the Muslims is asked for them according to their due should give them; whoever is asked for more than that should not give more. For fewer than twenty-five camels, one sheep is due for every five camels. At twenty-five, a one-year-old female camel (bint makhad) is due, up to thirty-five; if no bint makhad is available, then a male camel in its second year (ibn labun). At thirty-six, a female camel in its second year (bint labun) is due, up to forty-five. At forty-six, a three-year-old female camel (hiqqah), ready to be covered by a breeding male, is due, up to sixty. At sixty-one, a four-year-old female camel (jadha ah) is due, up to seventy-five. At seventy-six, two bint labun are due, up to ninety. At ninety-one, two hiqqah, ready to be covered by a breeding male, are due, up to one hundred and twenty. Above one hundred and twenty, one bint labun is due for every forty, and one hiqqah for every fifty.

When the required ages of camels differ in the alms schedule: if a person owes a jadha ah but does not have one and has a hiqqah, the hiqqah is accepted from him, along with two sheep if readily available or twenty dirhams. If a person owes a hiqqah but does not have one and has a jadha ah, it is accepted from him, and the collector gives him twenty dirhams or two sheep if readily available. If a person owes a hiqqah but does not have one and has a bint labun, it is accepted from him, along with two sheep if readily available or twenty dirhams. If a person owes a bint labun but does not have one and has a hiqqah, it is accepted from him, and the collector gives him twenty dirhams or two sheep. If a person owes a bint labun but does not have one and has a bint makhad, it is accepted from him, along with two sheep if readily available or twenty dirhams. If a person owes a bint makhad but has only a male ibn labun, it is accepted from him with nothing additional. Whoever has only four camels owes nothing, unless their owner chooses to give.

For the alms on freely grazing sheep: at forty, one sheep is due, up to one hundred and twenty. If the flock increases by one, two sheep are due, up to two hundred. If it increases by one more, three sheep are due, up to three hundred. Above that, one sheep is due for every hundred. No old or defective sheep, nor a male goat from the flock, is to be taken as alms unless the collector chooses. Separate flocks are not to be combined, nor a combined flock divided, to avoid the alms. Two partners in a jointly held flock settle the due between themselves in proportion to their shares. If a man has a freely grazing flock of thirty-nine sheep, nothing is due unless he chooses to give. On silver, one quarter of one tenth is due; if a person has only one hundred and ninety dirhams, nothing is due unless the owner chooses to give.

Imran ibn Bakkar reported: Ali ibn Ayyash narrated to us: Shuaib narrated to us: Abu al-Zinad told me from what Abd al-Rahman al-Araj reported, from what he mentioned hearing Abu Hurairah relate. He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Camels will come to their owner in the best condition they ever were in if he did not give their due, and will trample him with their hooves. Sheep will come to their owner in the best condition they ever were in if he did not give their due, and will trample him with their cloven hooves and gore him with their horns. It is among their due that they be milked at the water. Let none of you come on the Day of Resurrection carrying a camel on his neck, bellowing, and saying, Muhammad! I will not be able to do anything for you; I have conveyed the message. Let none of you come on the Day of Resurrection carrying a sheep on his neck, bleating, and saying, Muhammad! I will not be able to do anything for you; I have conveyed the message. He said: A person treasure will become a bald serpent; its owner will flee from it while it pursues him, saying: I am your treasure. It will continue until it swallows his finger.

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Ala reported: Mutamir narrated to us: I heard Bahz ibn Hakim relating from his father, from his grandfather, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: For every forty freely grazing camels there is a female camel in its second year (bint labun). Camels are not to be separated from their calculation. Whoever gives it seeking reward will have its reward; whoever withholds it, we will take it and half his camels, as a binding duty among the duties of our Lord. Nothing of it is lawful for the family of Muhammad ﷺ.

Muhammad ibn Rafi reported: Yahya ibn Adam narrated to us: Mufaddal—he is Ibn Muhalhil—narrated to us, from al-Amash, from Shaqiq, from Masruq, from Muadh, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent him to Yemen and instructed him to take from every person who had reached puberty one dinar, or its equivalent in Ma afiri garments; from cattle, one male or female yearling calf for every thirty; and one musinnah for every forty.

Ahmad ibn Sulayman reported: Ya la—he is Ibn Ubayd—narrated to us: Al-Amash narrated to us, from Shaqiq, from Masruq; and al-Amash, from Ibrahim. They both said: Muadh said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me to Yemen and instructed me to take from every forty cows one thanniyya, from every thirty one tabee, and from every person who had reached puberty one dinar or its equivalent in Ma afiri garments.

Ahmad ibn Harb reported: Abu Muawiyah narrated to us, from al-Amash, from Ibrahim, from Masruq, from Muadh, who said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent him to Yemen, he instructed him to take from every thirty cows one tabee or tabeeah, male or female yearling; from every forty one musinnah; and from every person who had reached puberty one dinar or its equivalent in Ma afiri garments.

Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Tusi reported: Yaqub narrated to us: My father narrated to us, from Ibn Ishaq, who said: Sulayman al-Amash narrated to me, from Abu Wail ibn Salamah, from Muadh ibn Jabal, who said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me to Yemen, he instructed me not to take anything from cattle until they reached thirty. At thirty, a yearling calf, male or female, is due, until they reach forty. At forty, a mature cow is due.

Wasil ibn Abd al-Ala reported from Ibn Fudayl, from Abd al-Malik ibn Abi Sulayman, from Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir ibn Abdullah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Any owner of camels, cattle, or sheep who does not pay their due will be made to stand before them on the Day of Resurrection on a level, open plain. Those with cloven hooves will trample him, and those with horns will gore him. None of them that day will be hornless or broken-horned. We said: Messenger of Allah, what is their due? He said: Allowing their males to mate with them, lending their bucket, and carrying loads on them in the cause of Allah. No owner of wealth who does not pay its due will escape being shown a bald serpent on the Day of Resurrection. Its owner will flee from it, but it will pursue him, saying: This is your treasure that you used to hoard. When he sees that there is no escaping it, he will put his hand into its mouth, and it will chew it as a stallion chews.