Chapter on Categories Upon Whom Zakat is Obligatory
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 2|Book 1|Chapter 5
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh
Volume 2, Book 1, Chapter 5
Chapter on Categories Upon Whom Zakat is Obligatory
وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ ثَقِيفٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: اِسْتَعْمَلَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَى بَانِقْيَا وَ سَوَادٍ مِنْ سَوَادِ اَلْكُوفَةِ فَقَالَ لِي وَ اَلنَّاسُ حُضُورٌ «اُنْظُرْ خَرَاجَكَ فَجِدَّ فِيهِ وَ لاَ تَتْرُكْ مِنْهُ دِرْهَماً فَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَتَوَجَّهَ إِلَى عَمَلِكَ فَمُرَّ بِي» قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ لِي «إِنَّ اَلَّذِي سَمِعْتَهُ مِنِّي خُدْعَةٌ إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَضْرِبَ مُسْلِماً أَوْ يَهُودِيّاً أَوْ نَصْرَانِيّاً فِي دِرْهَمِ خَرَاجٍ أَوْ تَبِيعَ دَابَّةَ عَمَلٍ فِي دِرْهَمٍ فَإِنَّا أُمِرْنَا أَنْ نَأْخُذَ مِنْهُ اَلْعَفْوَ ».
It is narrated from a man of Thaqif who said: "Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام appointed me over Banqiya and a portion of the lands of Kufa. He said to me, in the presence of the people: 'Inspect your revenue and be diligent in collecting it; do not leave even a single dirham. When you are ready to head to your assignment, come see me.' I went to him, and Imam عليه السلام said to me: 'What you heard from me was a strategy. Be cautious not to strike a Muslim, a Jew, or a Christian for a dirham of revenue, nor to seize a working animal for a dirham. We have been commanded to take only what is easy for them to give.'"
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 80