The Obligation of al-Zakat (charity) and Necessary Payments from Properties

16. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Abd Allah ibn Yahya from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muskan from abu Basir who has said the following: “I asked abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘Charities are for the poor and the destitute. . .’ (9:60) The Imam said, ‘Poor is one who does not ask people for help, destitute is one of a worse condition, and hopeless is even of a worse condition. Paying, what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has made compulsory upon you, publicly is better than paying privately. It is better to pay privately what is paid voluntarily. A person’s carrying zakat that he must pay, on his shoulders that he then distributes in public is just fine and beautiful.’”