This report is not contrary to what we have mentioned, because what is intended by his saying, “There is no zakat upon the one who accepts the land,” is that there is no zakat upon him for all that comes out of the land, though the zakat of what comes into his hand after apportionment (muqasamah) is binding upon him. That which indicates what we have said is the report which we presented earlier: From Muhammad ibn Muslim and Abu Basir, from Abu Ja‘far عليه السلام, peace be upon him, that he said in his hadith: “The tithe is not due upon all that Allah سبحانه وتعالى has brought forth from it. Rather, the tithe is only upon you regarding what comes into your hand after his apportioning it with you.” Thus this report was detailed (mufassal), while the other report was general (mujmal), and judging the general according to the detailed is more appropriate than judging the detailed according to the general. As for what this hadith contains from the Imam عليه السلام saying, peace be upon him: “There is no zakat upon the people of the lands today,” then today a concession has been granted to one upon whom zakat has become obligatory and from whom the unjust ruler has taken it, that he may count it as part of the zakat. Although it is better to take it out a second time, because that was an injustice by which he was wronged. That which indicates this concession is what he narrated (in the following hadith):
Commentary #4