Chapter on Khums

Ubaydullah ibn Ali al-Halabi asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about buried treasure: "How much is due on it?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "The Khums (one-fifth)." He then asked about mines: "How much is due on them?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "The Khums." He further asked about lead, brass, iron, and other mineral types: "How much is due on them?" The Imam عليه السلام replied: "The same is taken from them as is taken from mines of gold and silver."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Abdullah ibn Sinan, who said: I heard Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام say: "Khums is only applicable to spoils of war specifically."

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr narrated from Abu al-Hasan Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام: I asked him about what amount of a buried treasure (kanz) makes Khums obligatory. Imam عليه السلام replied: "Whatever amount requires Zakat in its equivalent also requires Khums."

Muhammad ibn Muslim asked Abu Ja’far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام about salt flats. The Imam asked: "What are salt flats?" I replied: "They are salty, barren lands where water collects and turns into salt." The Imam عليه السلام said: "It is like a mine; Khums is due on it." I asked: "What about sulfur and oil extracted from the earth?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "These and similar things also require Khums."

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Indeed, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, there is no god but Him, when He prohibited charity (Sadaqah) for us, He ordained Khums for us. Thus, charity is forbidden to us, Khums is an obligation for us, and gifts of honor are permissible for us."

It is narrated from Abu Basir, who said: I asked Abu Ja’far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام "May Allah سبحانه وتعالى keep you well, what is the simplest way for a person to enter the Fire?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Whoever consumes a dirham from the wealth of the orphan - and we are the orphan."

Zakariya ibn Malik al-Ju'fi asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about the verse of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty: "And know that whatever you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Messenger, the near relatives, the orphans, the needy, and the traveler" (Surah Al-Anfal 8:41). The Imam عليه السلام replied: "As for the share of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, it is for the Messenger to spend in the way of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. The share of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, is for his relatives. The share of 'those near' is for his close family. The orphans are the orphans of his household, so these four shares are allocated to them. As for the needy and the travelers, you know that we do not eat from charity, nor is it permissible for us. Thus, it is for the needy and the travelers outside our family."

In one of the writings of al-Ridha (Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha عليه السلام) addressed to Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Hamadhani, it is stated: "Khums is due after deducting expenses."

Abu Ubaydah al-Haddha’ narrated from Abu Ja’far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said: "Any non-Muslim under the protection of Islam (dhimmi) who buys land from a Muslim is obligated to pay Khums on it."

Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from one of them (Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir or Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام) who said: "The most severe situation for people on the Day of Resurrection will be when the rightful owner of Khums stands and says, 'O Lord عز وجل, where is my Khums?' We have made it permissible for our Shia so that their offspring may be purified or so that their lineage may be pure."

A man came to Amir al-Mu'minin (Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام) and said: "O Amir al-Mu'minin, I have acquired wealth through questionable means. Is there repentance for me?" The Imam عليه السلام replied: "Bring me its Khums." The man brought him the Khums, and the Imam عليه السلام said: "It is yours. When a person repents, his wealth repents with him."

Abu al-Hasan (Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام) was asked about a man from whom others take the Zakat of his wealth, the Khums of his spoils, or the Khums of what he extracts from the mines: "Is that counted for him as fulfilling his Zakat and Khums obligations?" The Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes."

It is narrated from Abu Ali ibn Rashid, who said: I said to Abu al-Hasan al-Thalith (Imam Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Hadi عليه السلام) "We are sometimes brought something, and it is said, 'This belonged to Abu Ja'far (Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Jawad عليه السلام) and is now with us.' What should we do with it?" The Imam عليه السلام replied: "Whatever belonged to my father عليه السلام due to his position as the Imam is now mine. As for anything else, it is inheritance distributed according to the Book of Allah سبحانه وتعالى and the Sunnah of His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family."

Abdullah ibn Bukayr narrated from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "I take a dirham from one of you, while I am among the wealthiest people in Medina. I do this only so that you may be purified."

It is narrated from Yunus ibn Ya’qub, who said: I was with Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام when a man from among the merchants entered and said: "May I be your ransom! We come across profits, wealth, and trade, and we know that your right in them is established, yet we fall short in fulfilling that." The Imam عليه السلام replied: "We would not be just to you if we demanded that of you today."

It is narrated from Ali ibn Mahziar, who said: I read in a letter from Abu Ja'far (Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Jawad عليه السلام) to a man who asked him for permission regarding his consumption of food and drink from the Khums: The Imam عليه السلام wrote in his own handwriting: "Whoever is in need of any part of my right is granted permission."

Aban ibn Taghlib narrated from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام regarding a man who dies without any heirs or any master (to whom he is affiliated): The Imam عليه السلام said: "He falls under the category mentioned in this verse: 'They ask you about the spoils (anfal)...' (Surah Al-Anfal 8:1)."

It is narrated from Dawud ibn Kathir al-Riqqi that Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Indeed, all people live off the remnants of the injustice done to us, except that we have made it permissible for our Shia."

Hafs ibn al-Bakhtari narrated from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "Archangel Jibril عليه السلام struck the earth with his foot, creating five rivers, and the flow of water followed him: the Euphrates, the Tigris, the Nile of Egypt, the Mehran, and the river of Balkh. Whatever is irrigated by them or watered from them belongs to the Imam. This includes the encompassing ocean of the world."