Sunan an-Nasa'i
The Book of Zakah
كتاب الزكاة
Chapter 64
التَّحْرِيضِ عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Ala reported: Khalid narrated to us: Shuubah narrated to us, from Mabdad ibn Khalid, from Harithah, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Give charity, for a time will come upon you when a man will walk with his charity and the person to whom it is offered will say: If only you had brought it yesterday, I would have accepted it. As for today, I will not.
Translation notes
The report foretells a time when charity will be refused; the shift from yesterday to today is retained.
Chapter 65
الشَّفَاعَةِ فِي الصَّدَقَةِ
Muhammad ibn Bashshar reported: Yahya narrated to us: Sufyan narrated to us: Abu Burdah ibn Abd Allah ibn Abi Burdah informed me, from his grandfather Abu Burdah, from Abu Musa, from the Prophet ﷺ, who said: Intercede, and your intercession will be accepted; Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will decree through the tongue of His Prophet whatever He wills.
Translation notes
The first clause is rendered as an instruction to intercede with an assurance that the intercession will be accepted.
Harun ibn Saeed reported: Sufyan informed us, from Amr, from Ibn Munabbih, from his brother, from Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: A man asks me for something, and I withhold it from him until you intercede for him, so that you may be rewarded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also said: Intercede, and you will be rewarded.
Translation notes
The source first places the instruction in a specific situation of intercession and then repeats it as a general instruction. Both statements are retained.
Chapter 66
الاِخْتِيَالِ فِي الصَّدَقَةِ
Ishaq ibn Mansur reported: Muhammad ibn Yusuf narrated to us: al-Awzai narrated to us, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, who said: Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Harith al-Taymi narrated to me, from Ibn Jabir, from his father, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Some protective jealousy is loved by Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and some He dislikes. Some forms of pride are loved by Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and some He dislikes. As for the protective jealousy Allah loves, it is jealousy when there is cause for suspicion; as for the jealousy Allah dislikes, it is jealousy without cause for suspicion. The pride Allah loves is a man pride in himself during battle and when giving charity. The pride Allah dislikes is arrogance in falsehood.
Translation notes
Ghayrah is rendered as protective jealousy, and khuyala as pride or arrogance according to the context. The source contrasts suspicion grounded in a cause with suspicion without one.
Ahmad ibn Sulayman reported: Yazid narrated to us: Hammam narrated to us, from Qatadah, from Amr ibn Shuayb, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Eat, give charity, and clothe yourselves without extravagance or conceit.
Translation notes
The source pairs permission to enjoy, give, and wear with the limits of extravagance and conceit.
Chapter 67
أَجْرِ الْخَازِنِ إِذَا تَصَدَّقَ بِإِذْنِ مَوْلاَهُ
Abd Allah ibn al-Haytham ibn Uthman informed me: Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi narrated to us: Sufyan narrated to us, from Burayd ibn Abi Burdah, from his grandfather, from Abu Musa, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: A believer to another believer is like a structure, each part strengthening the other. He also said: The trustworthy treasurer who gives what he has been instructed to give, willingly and with a good heart, is one of the two who give in charity.
Translation notes
The source presents two sayings. The second calls both the owner and the entrusted distributor participants in charity.
Chapter 68
الْمُسِرِّ بِالصَّدَقَةِ
Muhammad ibn Salamah reported: Ibn Wahb narrated to us, from Muawiyah ibn Salih, from Buhayr ibn Sad, from Khalid ibn Madan, from Kathir ibn Murrah, from Uqbah ibn Amir, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: One who recites the Quran aloud is like one who gives charity openly, and one who recites the Quran quietly is like one who gives charity discreetly.
Translation notes
The report pairs public recitation with public charity and private recitation with private charity.
Chapter 69
الْمَنَّانِ بِمَا أَعْطَى
Amr ibn Ali reported: Yazid ibn Zuray narrated to us: Umar ibn Muhammad narrated to us, from Abd Allah ibn Yasar, from Salim ibn Abd Allah, from his father, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: There are three whom Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will not look upon on the Day of Resurrection: one who is undutiful to his parents, a woman who adopts a masculine manner of dress, and a dayyuth. And there are three who will not enter Paradise: one who is undutiful to his parents, one who is addicted to wine, and one who reminds others of what he has given them.
Translation notes
Dayyuth is retained in transliteration because its precise scope is specific; al-mutarrijilah is rendered literally as a woman adopting a masculine manner of dress. The term al-mannan is rendered as one who reminds others of gifts given.
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ يَنْظُرُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَيْهِمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْعَاقُّ لِوَالِدَيْهِ وَالْمَرْأَةُ الْمُتَرَجِّلَةُ وَالدَّيُّوثُ وَثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ الْعَاقُّ لِوَالِدَيْهِ وَالْمُدْمِنُ عَلَى الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَنَّانُ بِمَا أَعْطَى " .
The precise scope of al-mutarrijilah and al-dayyuth is culturally and lexically specific.
Should al-mutarrijilah be translated as a woman who imitates men in appearance, and al-dayyuth as a man who tolerates sexual immorality in his household?
Muhammad ibn Bashshar reported from Muhammad, who said: Shuubah narrated to us, from Ali ibn al-Mudrik, from Abu Zurah ibn Amr ibn Jarir, from Kharashah ibn al-Hurr, from Abu Dharr, from the Prophet ﷺ, who said: There are three to whom Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will not speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor look upon, nor purify, and they will have a painful punishment. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited it. Abu Dharr said: They have lost and been ruined; they have lost and been ruined. He said: The one who lets his izar trail, the one who promotes his merchandise with a false oath, and the one who reminds others of his gift.
Translation notes
The verse or passage recited is not reproduced in this source block, so it is not supplied. Izar is retained as a garment term, with its literal trailing sense, and flagged for review.
قَالَ " الْمُسْبِلُ إِزَارَهُ وَالْمُنَفِّقُ سِلْعَتَهُ بِالْحَلِفِ الْكَاذِبِ وَالْمَنَّانُ عَطَاءَهُ " .
The precise scope of al-musbil izarahu depends on the clothing practice and legal interpretation.
Should this remain literal as one who lets his izar trail, or be rendered with a more specific garment-length gloss?
Bishr ibn Khalid reported: Ghundar narrated to us, from Shuubah, who said: I heard Sulayman—meaning al-Amash—from Sulayman ibn Mushir, from Kharashah ibn al-Hurr, from Abu Dharr, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: There are three to whom Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will not speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor look upon, nor purify, and they will have a painful punishment: one who reminds others of what he gave, one who lets his izar trail, and one who promotes his merchandise with a false oath.
Translation notes
This is a distinct route and gives the same three descriptions in a different order. Izar is retained literally and flagged for lexical review.
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ الْمَنَّانُ بِمَا أَعْطَى وَالْمُسْبِلُ إِزَارَهُ وَالْمُنَفِّقُ سِلْعَتَهُ بِالْحَلِفِ الْكَاذِبِ " .
The precise scope of al-musbil izarahu depends on the clothing practice and legal interpretation.
Should this remain literal as one who lets his izar trail, or be rendered with a more specific garment-length gloss?
Chapter 70
رَدِّ السَّائِلِ
Harun ibn Abd Allah informed me: Maan narrated to us: Malik narrated to us. [A second chain:] Qutaybah ibn Saeed reported from Malik, from Zayd ibn Bujayd al-Ansari, from his grandmother, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Give something to the petitioner, even if it is a hoof. In Harun report, the hoof was burnt.
Translation notes
The source gives two transmission routes and specifies that the hoof was burnt in Harun version. The small object illustrates giving even a very modest thing.
Chapter 71
مَنْ يُسْأَلُ وَلاَ يُعْطِي
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Ala reported: al-Mutamir narrated to us: I heard Bahz ibn Hakim relate from his father, from his grandfather, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Whenever a man is approached by his mawla, asking him for some surplus he has, and he denies it to him, he will be summoned on the Day of Resurrection by a bald serpent, licking its lips over the surplus he withheld.
Translation notes
Mawla is retained because it can refer to a client, freed person, or close dependent in this context. The report describes the serpent licking its lips over the withheld surplus.
Chapter 72
مَنْ سَأَلَ بِاللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
Qutaybah reported: Abu Awanah narrated to us, from al-Amash, from Mujahid, from Ibn Umar, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever seeks protection by Allah, grant him protection. Whoever asks you by Allah, give to him. Whoever seeks refuge with Allah, grant him refuge. Whoever does you a kindness, repay him. If you cannot find anything with which to repay him, then pray for him until you know that you have repaid him.
Translation notes
The four requests or actions are kept distinct, along with the instruction to continue praying until the benefactor has been repaid in that way.
Chapter 73
مَنْ سَأَلَ بِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Ala reported: al-Mutamir narrated to us: I heard Bahz ibn Hakim relate from his father, from his grandfather, who said: I said: O Prophet of Allah, I did not come to you until I had sworn more times than the number of these—indicating the fingers of both his hands—that I would not come to you or to your religion. I was a man who understood nothing except what Allah and His Messenger taught me. I ask you by the Face of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, about what your Lord sent you to us with. He said: Islam. I said: What are the signs of Islam? He said: That you say: I have submitted myself to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and wa takhallaytu; that you establish prayer and give zakah. Every Muslim is inviolable to another Muslim; they are brothers and supporters of one another. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, does not accept any deed from a polytheist after he has accepted Islam—or until he separates from the polytheists and joins the Muslims.
Translation notes
The source leaves the verb wa takhallaytu without an expressed object, so it is retained in transliteration. The scope of the final clause is marked by an alternative rendering and flagged for review.
قَالَ قُلْتُ وَمَا آيَاتُ الإِسْلاَمِ قَالَ " أَنْ تَقُولَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِيَ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَتَخَلَّيْتُ وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةَ وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ كُلُّ مُسْلِمٍ عَلَى مُسْلِمٍ مُحَرَّمٌ أَخَوَانِ نَصِيرَانِ لاَ يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ مُشْرِكٍ بَعْدَ مَا أَسْلَمَ عَمَلاً أَوْ يُفَارِقَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ إِلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ " .
The phrase wa takhallaytu and the syntactic scope of the closing condition are ambiguous in this wording.
How should the verb wa takhallaytu and the relation between accepting Islam, deeds, and leaving the polytheists be construed?
Chapter 74
مَنْ يُسْأَلُ بِاللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلاَ يُعْطِي بِهِ
Muhammad ibn Rafi reported: Ibn Abi Fudayk narrated to us: Ibn Abi Dhib informed us, from Saeed ibn Khalid al-Qarizi, from Ismail ibn Abd al-Rahman, from Ata ibn Yasar, from Ibn Abbas, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Shall I tell you who has the best standing? We said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: A man holding the reins of his horse in the path of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, until he dies or is killed. Shall I tell you who comes next? We said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: A man secluded in a mountain pass, who establishes prayer, gives zakah, and keeps away from the evils of people. Shall I tell you who is the worst of people? We said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: The one who, when asked in the name of Allah, does not give for His sake.
Translation notes
The three ranks are preserved in sequence, as are the deeds and conditions describing each person. The final phrase is rendered as a refusal to give when asked in Allah name.
Chapter 75
ثَوَابِ مَنْ يُعْطِي
Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna reported: Muhammad narrated to us: Shuubah narrated to us, from Mansur, who said: I heard Ribii relate from Zayd ibn Zibyan, who traced it back to Abu Dharr, from the Prophet ﷺ, who said: There are three whom Allah, Mighty and Majestic, loves, and three whom Allah, Mighty and Majestic, dislikes. As for those whom Allah loves: a man comes to a group and asks them for something by Allah, not by invoking kinship between him and them. They refuse him. A man then lingers behind them and gives to him secretly, so that no one knows of the gift except Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and the one who gave it. And a group travel through the night; when sleep becomes dearer to them than anything it could be compared with, they stop and lay down their heads. Then one rises, humbling himself in supplication to Me and reciting My verses. And a man who is in a military detachment that meets the enemy and is routed; he advances with his chest toward them until he is killed or Allah grants him victory. The three whom Allah, Mighty and Majestic, dislikes are an old man who commits fornication, a poor man who is arrogant, and a rich man who is oppressive.
Translation notes
The report gives three persons loved by Allah and three disliked by Him. The night-worship idiom is rendered as humbling oneself in supplication and flagged for review; the military scene retains the detachment being routed before the man advances.
رَفَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي ذَرٍّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " ثَلاَثَةٌ يُحِبُّهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَثَلاَثَةٌ يُبْغِضُهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَمَّا الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَرَجُلٌ أَتَى قَوْمًا فَسَأَلَهُمْ بِاللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلَمْ يَسْأَلْهُمْ بِقَرَابَةٍ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُمْ فَمَنَعُوهُ فَتَخَلَّفَهُ رَجُلٌ بِأَعْقَابِهِمْ فَأَعْطَاهُ سِرًّا لاَ يَعْلَمُ بِعَطِيَّتِهِ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَالَّذِي أَعْطَاهُ وَقَوْمٌ سَارُوا لَيْلَتَهُمْ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ النَّوْمُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِمْ مِمَّا يُعْدَلُ بِهِ نَزَلُوا فَوَضَعُوا رُءُوسَهُمْ فَقَامَ يَتَمَلَّقُنِي وَيَتْلُو آيَاتِي وَرَجُلٌ كَانَ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَلَقُوا الْعَدُوَّ فَهُزِمُوا فَأَقْبَلَ بِصَدْرِهِ حَتَّى يُقْتَلَ أَوْ يَفْتَحَ اللَّهُ لَهُ وَالثَّلاَثَةُ الَّذِينَ يُبْغِضُهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الشَّيْخُ الزَّانِي وَالْفَقِيرُ الْمُخْتَالُ وَالْغَنِيُّ الظَّلُومُ " .
The idiom yatamalaqani in the night-worship description has several possible shades of supplication or humble devotion.
Should the phrase be rendered as humbling oneself in supplication or in another way that preserves its distinctive Arabic expression?
Chapter 76
تَفْسِيرِ الْمِسْكِينِ
Ali ibn Hujr reported: Ismail informed us: Sharik narrated to us, from Ata ibn Yasar, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The needy person is not the one whom a date or two dates, or a morsel or two morsels, turn away. The truly needy person is the self-restrained one. Recite, if you wish: They do not ask people insistently.
Translation notes
The report contrasts a visibly asking person who is turned away by a small amount with the self-restrained needy person, then quotes the verse.
Qutaybah reported from Malik, from Abu al-Zinad, from al-Araj, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The needy person is not this itinerant who goes around among people, whom a morsel or two or a date or two dates turn away. They said: Then who is the needy person? He said: The one who cannot find enough to make him self-sufficient, who is not recognized so that charity may be given to him, and who does not stand up and ask people.
Translation notes
This version defines the needy person through insufficiency, not being noticed by others, and not asking people; all three features are retained.
Nasr ibn Ali reported: Abd al-Ala narrated to us: Mamar narrated to us, from al-Zuhri, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The needy person is not the one whom one or two meals, or one or two dates, turn away. They said: Then who is the needy person, O Messenger of Allah? He said: The one who does not have enough to make him self-sufficient, and whose need people do not know, so that charity may be given to him.
Translation notes
The source version defines need by insufficient means and the fact that others are unaware of the person need.
Qutaybah reported: al-Layth narrated to us, from Saeed ibn Abi Saeed, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Bujayd, from his grandmother Umm Bujayd—one of those who pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ—that she said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: A needy person stands at my door, and I have nothing to give him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to her: If you find nothing to give him except a burnt hoof, then give it to him.
Translation notes
The speaker is identified as Umm Bujayd and the report specifies that she was among those who pledged allegiance to the Prophet. The burnt hoof is retained as the example.