Chapter on Hastening Zakat and Delaying It Beyond the Times in Which It Becomes Obligatory

And from him, from Ibrahim ibn Abi Ishaq, from Abdullah ibn Hammad al-Ansari, from Aban ibn Uthman, from Yaqub ibn Shuayb al-Haddad, from the righteous servant عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: I (narrator) said to Imam عليه السلام: “A man from among us is in an isolated land; what should he do with the zakat of his wealth?” Imam عليه السلام said: “He places it among his brothers and the people of his wilayah.” So I (narrator) asked: “Then if none of them is present with him there?” Imam عليه السلام said: “He sends it to them.” I asked: “Then if he does not find anyone to carry it to them?” Imam عليه السلام said: “He gives it to one who does not show hostility (la yansib).” I asked: “Then others besides them?” Imam عليه السلام said: “There is nothing for others besides them except stone.”