Preferences for Relatives and Those of Them to Whom Zakat Cannot Be Paid

2. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Muthanna’ from abu Basir who has said the following: “Once someone asked him (the Imam) ‘Alayhi al-Salam, when I was hearing, saying, ‘Can I pay Zakat to my relatives and they do not know (this belief)? He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not pay Zakat to anyone who is not a Muslim, but give them from other things.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, then said, ‘Do you think that Allah has made just Zakat obligatory on one’s assets? In fact, other things that Allah has made obligatory on one’s assets are more than Zakat. You pay to relatives, to one who asks you and you pay as long as you do not know him to be hostile; but when you learn that he is hostile, then do not pay him anything unless you are afraid of his tongue, in which case you buy your religion and dignity from him.’”

3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr who has said the following: “I once asked al-Rida’ عليه السلام, about a man who has relatives, friends and followers who love ’Amir al-Mu’minin عليه السلام, but they do not acknowledge the owner of this issue (one who possesses Divine Authority) if he can give Zakat to them. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot give Zakat to them.’”

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Zur’ah ibn Muhammad from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, about a man who owes Zakat and has needy relatives who do not know (one who possesses Divine Authority). ‘Can he give Zakat to them?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot give them and it is not an honor. He must not make Zakat to guard his assets. He can give them from his other assets if he likes.’”

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, has said, ‘Zakat cannot be given to five kinds of people: father, mother, children, slaves, and one’s wife, because they are one’s dependents for whom one must provide sustenance.’”

6. Ahmad ibn Idris and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from abu Jamilah from Zayd al-Shahham who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, has said, ‘Zakat can be given to one’s brother, sister, uncle, aunt (paternal and maternal); but it cannot be given to grandfather and grandmother.’”

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya and Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah have narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Ja‘far from Ahmad ibn Hamzah who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan عليه السلام, about a man who is one of your followers whose relatives all speak of you and he owes Zakat; can he pay all of his Zakat to them. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’”

8. Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Mahziyar from who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan عليه السلام, about a man who pays all of his Zakat to his relatives who have accepted you as their Waliy (one who possesses Divine Authority). He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’”

9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Imran ibn ’Isma‘il ibn ‘Imran al-Qummiy who has said the following: “I once wrote to abu al-Hassan, the third عليه السلام, and asked, ‘I have children, men and women. Can I pay from Zakat anything to them?’ He (the Imam) wrote to me, ‘It is permissible for you.’”

10. Ahmad ibn Idris and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from certain persons of our people from Muhammad ibn Jazzak who has said the following: “I once asked al-Sadiq, abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, ‘Can I give one out of ten of my asset to the children of my daughter? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is not harmful.’”