{"collection":"Islam","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/isl/hadith/had19.htm","path":"isl/hadith/had19.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/isl/hadith/had19.htm","text":"2. \"O you who believe! Give in charity of the good things you earn and of what We have brought forth for you out of the earth, and do not aim at giving in charity what is bad\" (2:267).\n3. \"If you give in charity openly it is well, and if you hide it and give it to the poor it is better for you. (2:271).\n4. \"Righteousness is this that one believes in All\u0101h and the last day and the angels and the Book and the prophets, and gives away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for the emancipation of the captives, and keeps up prayer and pays the zak\u0101t\" (2:177).\n5. \"(Zak\u0101t) charity is only for the poor and the needy, and the collectors appointed for its collection, and those whose hearts are made to incline to truth, and the ransoming of captives, and those in debt. and for the way of All\u0101h, and (for) the wayfarer\" (9:60).\nThe Arabic word for charity is sadaqah (from sidq, meaning truth). Zak\u0101t, is originally zakawah, of the same measure as sadaqah, and its primary significance is increase or purification. Technically zak\u0101t is a fixed portion of one's wealth which it is obligatory to give away annually for the benefit of the poor; the giving away of wealth to the needy is thus regarded as bringing about its purification and increase. Charity is likened to the sowing of seed which brings immense reward (v. 1). Only that charity is acceptable to God which is given out of one's lawful earnings (v. 2). It may be given either openly or in secret (v. 3). Zak\u0101t is obligatory charity in addition to voluntary charity, and it forms with the keeping up of prayer the basis of Isl\u0101m (v. 4; h. 10). Those appointed to collect the zak\u0101t are included among the persons who are entitled to receive the zak\u0101t (v. 5); and thus it is definitely\nlaid down that the zak\u0101t must be collected as public money. and distributed as such, under the directions of the head of the state or the head of a community.\nHad\u012bth gives equal conspicuousness to this subject. Charity is here given the broadest possible significance. including the doing of any good to a fellowman or to an animal, refraining from doing evil, meeting one's brother with a cheerful countenance and so on (hh. 1-6). The giving of charity in secret is praised (h. 7). Asking for other people's charity is disapproved, earning one's livelihood by hard labour being far more preferable (h. 8).\nZak\u0101t is a tax distinct from voluntary charity and the most important obligation next to prayer (H. ii:5, 6; hh. 9, 10). The minimum limit on which zak\u0101t is payable is in silver about Rs. 50 (h. 11). Zak\u0101t is payable at the rate of 2\u00bd p.c. on all savings (h. 12) over which a year has passed (h. 13). A woman must pay zak\u0101t out of her ornaments (h. 14). A trader is also liable to pay zak\u0101t on his goods (h. 15), and being a tax on property it is payable out of the property of an orphan (h. 16). The zak\u0101t is payable to the Muslim state or some other authority; it must be collected at some central place and then distributed (hh. 17, 18). One-third or one-fourth of zak\u0101t may be left in the hands of the person who pays the zak\u0101t, for distribution according to his choice (h. 19). The tax on land-produce is one-tenth or one-twentieth (h. 20), while in the case of treasure-trove or minerals it is one-fifth (hh. 21, 22).\n1 Ab\u016b M\u016bs\u0101 reported,\nThe Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said:\n\"Sadaqah is incumbent on every Muslim.\"\nThey (his companions) said, O Prophet of All\u0101h! And (what about him) who has not got (anything to give)? He said:\n\"He should work with his hand and profit himself and give in charity.\"\nThey said, If he has nothing (in spite of this). He said:\n\"He should help the distressed one who is in need.\"\nThey said, If he is unable to do this. He said:\n\"He should do good deeds and refrain from doing evil--this is charity on his part \"\n(B. 24:31.)\n2 Ab\u016b Hurairah reported,\n\"On every bone of the fingers charity is incumbent every day: One assists a man in riding his beast or in lifting his provisions to the back of the animal, this is charity; and a good word and every step which one takes in walking over to prayer is charity; and showing the way (to another) is charity.\n(B. 56:72.)\n3 Ab\u016b Hurairah reported,\n\"Removal from the way of that which is harmful is charity.\"\n(B. 46:24.)\n4 J\u0101bir said,\nThe Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said:\n\"Every good deed is charity, and it is a good deed that thou meet thy brother with a cheerful countenance and that thou pour water from thy bucket into the vessel of thy brother.\"\n(Ah-Msh. 6:6.)\n5 Ab\u016b Hurairah said,\n\"The man who exerts himself on behalf of the widow and the poor one is like the one who struggles in the way of All\u0101h, or the one who keeps awake in the night (for prayers) and fasts during the day.\"\n(B. 69:1.)\n6 Ab\u016b Hurairah said,\n\"A prostitute was forgiven--she passed by a dog, panting with its tongue out, on the top of a well containing water, almost dying with thirst; so she took off her boot and tied it to her head-covering and drew forth water for it; she was forgiven on account of this.\"\nIt was said: Is there a reward for us in (doing good to) the beasts? He said:\n\"In every animal having a liver fresh with life there is a reward.\"1\n(B. & M-Msh. 6:6.)\n7 Ab\u016b Hurairah said on the authority of the Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, (who said):\n\"There is a man who gives a charity and he conceals it so much so that his\n1. Doing good to beasts is, like the doing of good to human beings, a deed of charity: while cruelty to animals is forbidden just like cruelty to human beings (B. & M-Msh. 6:7).\nleft hand does not know what his right hand spends.\"\n(B. 24:11)\n8 Zubair reported,\n\"If one of you should take his rope and bring a bundle of fire-wood on his back and then sell it, with which All\u0101h should save his honour, it is better for him than that he should beg of people whether give him or do not give him.\" (B. 24:50.)\n9 F\u0101timah bint Qais said,\n\"In (one's) wealth there is a due besides the zak\u0101t;\" then he recited:\n\"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and the West (2: 177.)\"2\n(Tr-Msh. 6:6.)\n10 Ibn 'Abb\u0101s reported,\nThe Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, sent Mu'\u0101dh to Yaman and said:\n\"Invite them to bear witness that there is no god but All\u0101h and that I am the Messenger of All\u0101h; if they accept this, tell them that All\u0101h has made obligatory on them five prayers in every day and night; if they accept this, tell them that All\u0101h has made obligatory in their wealth\n2. See v. 4 quoted above. There charity is first enjoined-wealth must be given away out of love for God-and after it is mentioned the giving of zak\u0101t. It is thus shown that these are two separate duties, the voluntary duty of giving away to others as much as one likes, and the obligatory duty of giving away 2\u00bd p.c. out of one's savings after every twelve months.\na charity which is taken from the wealthy among them and given to the poor among them.\"\n(B. 24:1)\n11 Ab\u016b Sa'\u012bd said,\n\"There is no zak\u0101t in what is less than five auqiyah (of silver), nor is there any zak\u0101t in the case of less than five camels, nor is there any zak\u0101t in what is less than five wasaq.\"3\n(B. 24:4.)\n3. The minimum on which zak\u0101t is payable is called nis\u0101b. In the case of cereals and fruits, the nis\u0101b was five wasaq, which comes to between 20 and 30 maunds, according to different calculations. In the case of camels, the nis\u0101b was five, in that of goats and sheep, 40. In the case of silver it was five auqiyah or 200 dirhams which comes to a little over Rs. 50. According to one had\u012bth (AD. 9:5). the nis\u0101b in case of gold was twenty d\u012bn\u0101rs, about 3 oz. Under present conditions a uniform nis\u0101b would lead to greater facility, and as money is the standard in all payments, it would be quite in conformity with the spirit of the shari'ah if a money value of Rs. 50 is fixed as the minimum on which zak\u0101t is payable in the case of all possessions. No zak\u0101t is payable in things which are required for daily use (Tr-Msh 6:2). Jewels and precious stones are also excepted.\n12 'Ali said,\n'The Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said:\n\"I remit (zak\u0101t on) horses for riding and slaves for service; but pay the zak\u0101t on silver, one dirham out of every forty dirhams; and there is no zak\u0101t if there are 190 dirhams, but when it reaches two hundred, there are (to be paid) out of it five dirhams (of zak\u0101t).\n(Tr-Msh. 6:l.)\n13 Ibn 'Umar said:\nThe Messenger of All\u0101h peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said:\n\"Whoever acquires wealth, there is no zak\u0101t on it until a year has passed over it.\"4\n(Tr-Msh. 6.)\n4. Zak\u0101t is paid annually after calculating the savings of that year.\n14 Umm Salamah said,\nI used to wear ornaments of gold. So I said, O Messenger of All\u0101h! Is this hoard? He said:\n\"Whatever reaches the limit that thou shouldst pay zak\u0101t out of it, and the zak\u0101t is paid thereon it is not hoarding.\"5\n(AD-Msh. 6:1.)\n15 Samurah reported,\nThe Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, commanded us that we should pay zak\u0101t out of that which we provided for trade.6\n(AD-Msh 6:1.)\n5. Umm Salamah was the Holy Prophet's wife. The Had\u012bth shows that zak\u0101t must be paid on gold and silver ornaments, whether they are actually worn or not. The reference in the word kanz used in this had\u012bth is to the following verse:\n\"Those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in All\u0101h's way, announce to them a painful chastisement\" (9:39).\nThus gold and silver may be hoarded only if zak\u0101t is regularly paid thereon.\n6. Zak\u0101t was paid on camels and sheep which were kept for trade purposes, and therefore there is no reason for excepting trade goods. But while there is a natural increase in the case of animals, out of which zak\u0101t is paid, the capital involved in goods for trade may sometimes lie dormant. There is no reliable had\u012bth to show how zak\u0101t was calculated on merchandise; a reasonable course would be to take as the basis of calculation the profit which is gained by trading.\n16 'Amr ibn Shu'aib reported on the authority of his grandfather,\nThe Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, addressed the people and said:\n\"Beware! Whoever is the guardian of an orphan who has property, should trade with it, and should not leave it (undeveloped), so that the zak\u0101t should consume it.\"7\n(Tr-Msh. 6)\n17 Ab\u016b Hurairah said\nWhen the Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, died and Ab\u016b Bakr became (his successor), and those of the Arabs who would disbelieve disbelieved, 'Umar said, How dost thou fight people (who profess Isl\u0101m), and the Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said \"I have\n7. Zak\u0101t being a tax on hoardings or possessions must be paid by every owner of property even though he happens to be an orphan. The guardian of the orphan is, therefore, enjoined to carry on trade with the capital, so that the capital itself may not be consumed.\nbeen commanded to continue fighting against people until they say, There is no god but All\u0101h8; whoever says this will have his property and his life safe unless there is a due against him and his reckoning is with All\u0101h.\" (Ab\u016b Bakr) said, By All\u0101h! I shall fight those who make a difference between prayer and zak\u0101t, for zak\u0101t is a tax on property; By All\u0101h! if they withhold from me even a she-kid which they used to make over to the Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, shall fight against them for their withholding it. 'Umar said, By All\u0101h! All\u0101h opened the heart of Ab\u016b Bakr (to receive the truth), so I knew that it was true.9\n(B. 24:1.)\n8. For what this means, see H. xix:17.\n9. Zak\u0101t was the most important source of revenue of the Muslim state, and during the Holy Prophet's lifetime zak\u0101t was collected in the government p. 220 treasury. When the Holy Prophet died, many of the Arabian tribes which had just entered Isl\u0101m rebelled against the Caliph and apostatized. There were others whose rebellion consisted only in refusing the payment of zak\u0101t into the public treasury. It is these tribes that are spoken of in this had\u012bth, as the words of Ab\u016b Bakr show: \"If they withhold from me even a she-kid.\" Making a difference between prayer and zak\u0101t also meant the same. They did not apostatize but they refused to pay the zak\u0101t, and this was a refusal to admit the authority of the central government. Ab\u016b Bakr's action on this occasion shows that zak\u0101t cannot be distributed according to the will of the individual who pays the zak\u0101t, but it must be collected and distributed by a central organization.\n18 Abn Humaid said,\nThe Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, pointed a man from among the Asad to collect the zak\u0101t of Ban\u016b Sulaim--he was called Ibn al-Lutbiyyah--so when he came to him, he called him to account for it.10\n(B. 24:67.)\n19 Sahl reported,\nThe Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said \"When you have formed an opinion, then take (the zak\u0101t) and leave one-third; if you do not leave one-third, leave one fourth.\"11\n10. This collector withheld a part of what he had brought, saying that that part of his collections was presented to him. The Holy Prophet decided that no one who was appointed as a collector could receive personal presents. This is mentioned in detail in B. 51:17.\n11. One-third or one-fourth of the zak\u0101t may be left with the owner for distribution according to his choice.\n20 'Abd All\u0101h reported,\n\"In (the produce of) lands watered by rain and springs or in what is watered by water running on the surface of the ground is one-tenth, and (in) what is watered by wells one-twentieth.\"12\n(B. 24:55.)\n21 Ab\u016b Hurairah reported,\n\"............In treasure-trove (or minerals) one-fifth (shall be taken by the state).\"13\n(B. 24:66.)\n22 Ibn 'Abb\u0101s said\nAmber is not treasure-trove; it is a thing which the sea casts forth.\nAnd Hasan said, In amber and pearls one-fifth (shall be taken by the state).14\n(B. 24:65 )\n12. Agricultural produce was taxed on a different basis. This was the land revenue of the Muslim state, and it is only a fraction of the land revenue under the British rule in India. Under non-Muslim rule, when land revenue goes to the state, zak\u0101t should be calculated only on the savings of the year.\n13. The one-fifth taken from treasure-trove is not zak\u0101t in the proper sense, as it is taken only once.\n14. 'Umar took one-fifth from amber, and Hasan's view is generally upheld.","title":"A Manual of Hadith: Chapter XVI: Charity and Zak\u0101t","type":"page"}