Chapter on Obligation of Giving Out Zakat to the Imam

And from him, from Muhammad ibn Yahya and Muhammad ibn Abdullah, from Abdullah ibn Jafar, from Ayyub ibn Nuh, who said: I (narrator) wrote to Abu al-Hasan عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “Some people ask me about the (zakat of) Fitrah, and they ask me to carry its value to you. This man had sent to you the year before last and asked me to ask you, but I forgot that. And this year he has sent to you, on behalf of every head from his dependents, one dirham, for the value of nine artal of dates at one dirham. So your view, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى make me your ransom, regarding that?” Imam عليه السلام, peace be upon him, wrote: “The Fitrah, questioning about it has become frequent, and I dislike everything that leads to public recognition. So cut off the mention of that. Therefore, receive from whoever pays it, and refrain from whoever does not pay.”