Chapter on One Entitled to Zakat Due to Poverty and Destitution from Among the Categories

Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Faddal, from Yazid ibn Ishaq, from Harun ibn Hamzah, who said: I (narrator) said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “It has been narrated from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, that He صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: ‘Charity is not lawful for a rich person, nor for one possessing strength and soundness.’” Imam عليه السلام said: “It is not proper for a rich person.” He (narrator) said: “Then I said to Imam عليه السلام: ‘A man has three hundred dirhams in merchandise, and he has dependents. If he turns to it, his dependents would consume it, and they would not be sufficed by its profit.’” Imam عليه السلام said: “Then he should look at what surplus he obtains from it, and he should eat from it, he and whoever among them that suffices; and he should take for those among his dependents whom it does not suffice.”

And from him, from Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim, from Hammad ibn Isa, from Hariz, from Zurarah and Ibn Muslim. Zurarah said: I (narrator) said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “If there is more than one in the city?” Imam عليه السلام said: “Then give to all of them, if you are able.” He (narrator) said: “Then Imam عليه السلام said: ‘It is not lawful for one who has forty dirhams with him, upon which a year passes while they are with him, to take it; and if he takes it, he has taken it unlawfully.’”

Muhammad ibn Yaqub, from several of our companions, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from al-Husayn ibn Uthman, from the one whom he mentioned, from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: (Imam عليه السلام was asked) concerning ‘a man who gives the zakat of his wealth to a man while he thinks that he is in difficulty, then he finds him to be well-off.’ Imam عليه السلام said: “It does not suffice on his behalf.”

Al-Husayn ibn Said, from Hammad ibn Isa al-Juhani, from Umar ibn Udhaynah, from more than one person, from Abu Ja’far عليه السلام and Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon them both, said: The Imams عليه السلام were asked about ‘a man who has a house, a servant, and a slave. May he accept zakat?’ They both عليه السلام said: “Yes, indeed the house and the servant are not property.”

And from him, from Yahya ibn Isa, from Said ibn Yasar, who said: I (narrator) heard Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, saying: “Zakat is lawful for the owner of a house and a servant,” Because Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, did not regard the house and the servant as anything (that eliminates the receiver from Zakat).

Ali ibn al-Hasan, from Ibrahim ibn Hashim, from Hammad ibn Isa, from Hariz, from Zurarah and Ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja’far عليه السلام and Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon them both, said: Imam عليه السلام said: “Zakat is for the people of wilayah; Allah سبحانه وتعالى has clarified for you its place in His عز وجل Book.”

Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Jamil ibn Darraj, from al-Walid ibn Sabih, who said: Shihab ibn Abd Rabbih said to me: “Convey my greetings of peace to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, and inform him that fright befalls me in my sleep.” He (narrator) said: “So I said to Imam عليه السلام: “Shihab conveys greetings of peace to you and says: ‘Fright befalls me in my sleep.’” Imam عليه السلام said: “Say to Shihab: ‘Let him give zakat on his wealth.’” He (narrator) said: “So I conveyed that to Shihab, and Shihab said to me, ‘Will you convey from me to him?’” So I (narrator) said: “Yes.” He (Shihab) said: “Say to Imam عليه السلام that indeed, children, let alone men, know that I give zakat.’” He (narrator) said: “So I conveyed it to Imam عليه السلام, and Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, said: ‘Say to Shihab; Indeed, you take it out, but you do not place it in its proper places.’”

Muhammad ibn Yaqub, from several of our companions, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Ismail ibn Sad al-Ashari, from Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: I (narrator) asked Imam عليه السلام about ‘zakat, Is it to be placed among one who does not recognize?’ – meaning wilayah. Imam عليه السلام said: “No, nor the zakat of al-fitrah.”

And Muhammad ibn Isa narrated from Dawud al-Sarmi, who said: I (narrator) asked Imam عليه السلام about ‘one who drinks wine, Is he given anything from zakat?’ Imam عليه السلام said: “No.”

Sad, from some of our companions, from Muhammad ibn Jumhur, from Ibrahim al-Awsi, from Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام said that I heard my father (Imam al-Kadhim عليه السلام) saying: “I was with my father (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) one day, when a man came to him and said: ‘I am a man from the people of al-Rayy, and I have zakat, so to whom should I pay it?’ He (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said: “To us.” So the man asked: “Is charity not forbidden for you?” He (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said: “Yes. When you pay it to our Shia, then you have paid it to us.” So the man asked: “I do not know anyone for it.” He (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said: “Wait with it for one year.” The man said: “If I do not find anyone for it?” He (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said: “Wait with it for two years,” until Imam عليه السلام reached four years. Then he (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said to the man: “If you do not find anyone for it, then tie it into bundles and throw it into the sea, for Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Mighty and Majestic, has forbidden our wealth and the wealth of our Shia to our enemy.”

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Saffar, from Ali ibn Bilal, who said: I (narrator) wrote to Imam عليه السلام asking: “Is it permissible for me to pay the zakat of wealth and charity to a needy person who is not from my companions?” Imam عليه السلام wrote: “Do not give charity and zakat except to your companions.”

And from him, from Yaqub ibn Yazid, from Muhammad ibn Umar, from Muhammad ibn Udhafir, from Umar ibn Yazid, who said: I (narrator) asked Imam عليه السلام about ‘charity upon the Nussab (Nawasib) and upon the Zaydiyyah.’ Imam عليه السلام said: “Do not give charity to them with anything, and do not give them water to drink, if you are able.” And Imam عليه السلام said: “The Zaydiyyah are the Nussab.”

And from him, from Muhammad ibn Isa, from Ibrahim ibn Abd al-Hamid, from Abdullah ibn Abi Yafur, who said: I (narrator) said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “May I be made your ransom, what do you say ‘concerning zakat, for whom is it?’” Imam عليه السلام said: “It is for your companions.” He (narrator) said: “I asked: ‘Then if there is surplus beyond them?’” Imam عليه السلام said: “Then return it to them.” He (narrator) said: “I asked: ‘Then if there is surplus beyond them?’” Imam عليه السلام said: “Then return it to them.” He (narrator) said: “I asked: ‘Then if there is surplus beyond them?’” Imam عليه السلام said: “Then return it to them.” He (narrator) said: “I asked: ‘Then is anything from it given to beggars?’” He (narrator) said, so Imam عليه السلام said: “No, by Allah سبحانه وتعالى, except dust, unless you have mercy on him. So if you have mercy on him, then give him a fragment.” Then Imam عليه السلام gestured with his hand and placed his thumb upon the roots of his fingers.

Muhammad ibn Yaqub, from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Ibn Udhaynah, from Zurarah, Bukayr, al-Fudayl, Muhammad ibn Muslim, and Burayd al-Ijli, from Abu Ja’far عليه السلام and Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon them both, said: (Imam عليه السلام was asked) concerning ‘a man who is upon some of these doctrines: the Haruriyyah (Kharijites), the Murjiah (Murji'ites), the Uthmaniyyah (adherents to Uthman), and the Qadariyyah (Sufi inclied tariqa), then he repents, recognizes this matter, and his view becomes good. Thus, must he repeat every prayer he prayed, or fast, or zakat, or Hajj, or is there no repetition of any of that upon him?’ Imam عليه السلام said: “There is no repetition of anything from that upon him except zakat, and he must certainly pay it, because he placed zakat in other than its proper place, and its proper place is only the people of wilayah.”