Chapter on One Entitled to Zakat Due to Poverty and Destitution from Among the Categories

Sad, from some of our companions, from Muhammad ibn Jumhur, from Ibrahim al-Awsi, from Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام said that I heard my father (Imam al-Kadhim عليه السلام) saying: “I was with my father (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) one day, when a man came to him and said: ‘I am a man from the people of al-Rayy, and I have zakat, so to whom should I pay it?’ He (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said: “To us.” So the man asked: “Is charity not forbidden for you?” He (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said: “Yes. When you pay it to our Shia, then you have paid it to us.” So the man asked: “I do not know anyone for it.” He (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said: “Wait with it for one year.” The man said: “If I do not find anyone for it?” He (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said: “Wait with it for two years,” until Imam عليه السلام reached four years. Then he (Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام) said to the man: “If you do not find anyone for it, then tie it into bundles and throw it into the sea, for Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Mighty and Majestic, has forbidden our wealth and the wealth of our Shia to our enemy.”