If someone says: “If the matter concerning people’s wealth is as you have stated, namely that khums (fifth) is obligatory in it; and if the matter concerning spoils (al-ghanaim) is as you have described, namely that one-fifth must be taken from them; and if the ruling concerning lands is as you have explained, namely that the right of disposal over them belongs specifically to the Imams عليه السلام, peace be upon them, either because they alone are entitled to the ownership (raqaba) of the land itself, to the exclusion of all others, such as the anfal and the lands whose inhabitants have abandoned them, or because disposal over them must be through leasing (al-taqbil) and contractual liability (al-tadmin), such as the land of kharaj and whatever falls under the same ruling, then it follows that no marriage would be lawful for you, no trade would be pure for you, and no food would be permissible for you in any way or for any reason.” It is said to him in reply: “Even though the matter is as you have stated in the question, namely that the Imams, peace be upon them, have the exclusive right of disposal over these things, we still have a way out from what you have imposed upon us. As for spoils (al-ghanaim), trade, matrimonial matters (al-manakih), and anything similar in which the Imam’s عليه السلام khums is obligatory, the Imams عليه السلام, peace be upon them, have permitted that for us and allowed us to dispose of it.” We have already presented this earlier. This is also supported by what he narrated (in the following hadith):
Commentary #4