Chapter 01-Zakat

623. Ibn 'Abbas : narrated that when the Prophet sent Mu'adh ibn Jabal to Yemen (as governor), he said to him: "You are going to a people who are People of the Scripture. Invite them to testify that no one has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Messenger. If they obey you in this, then teach them that Allah, the Glorious One, has enjoined five prayers upon them in every day and night (in twenty-four hours), and if they obey you in this, then tell them that Allah has made it obligatory for them to pay Zakah upon their assets and it is to be taken for them form the wealthy among them and given to the poor among them." Related by Bukhari.


624. Anas : narrated that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq : wrote him this letter, “This is the obligatory Zakah, which the Messenger of Allah made obligatory for every Muslim, and which Allah, the almighty had commanded him to observe. ‘For each twenty-four camels, or less, their Zakah is to be they paid as sheep; for every five camels, their Zakah is one sheep. When the amount of camels is between twenty-five to thirty-five, the due Zakah is one she camel ‘bint makhad’ (a camel which is one year old and just starting the second year) or a male camel ‘ibn labun’ (a young male camel which is two years old and already starting the third year). However, when the amount of camels reaches thirty-six, the due Zakah is a young she camel ‘bint labun’ (a young female camel, which is two years old and already starting the third year). When they reach forty-six to sixty camels, their due Zakah is a she camel ‘hiqqah’ (which is three years old and starting the fourth). When they reach sixty-one to seventy-five, one ‘Jaz’ah’ (a four year old camel already starting its fifth year). When their number is between seventy-six to ninety camels, their due Zakah is two young she camels ‘bint labun’. When they are in the range between ninety-one to hundred and twenty camels, the Zakah is two young she camels ‘hiqqah’. If they are over one hundred twenty camels, on every forty camels, one ‘bint labun’ is due. And for every fifty camels (over one hundred and twenty) a young she camel ‘hiqqah’ is due. And anyone, who has got only four camels, does not have to pay unless he (the owner of the camels) wants to give something voluntarily.

Regarding the Zakah of grazing sheep, if they are between forty and one hundred and twenty, one sheep is due as a Zakah. If they are between 120 and 200, two sheep are due. If they are between 200 and 300 hundred, three sheep are due. If they exceed three hundred sheep, then one sheep is doing for every extra hundred grazing heads. If the grazing sheep are less than forty, (even if they are 39) then no Zakah is due on them, unless he (the owner of the camels) wants to give something voluntarily.

One should not combine (i.e. gather young animals together) or separate them for fear of being Zakah. {188} When there is a mixture of cattle shared between two partners, and Zakah is paid directly between them, then they have to calculate it equally among them (depending on the share of each). Neither an old or a defective animal mocking mail goat (a ram used for breeding) may be taken as Zakah, unless the Zakah collector wishes {189} to do so.

Concerning silver, the Zakah paid is a quarter of a tenth for each 200 Dirhams. If the amount of silver is less than 200 Dirhams (even if it is 190) then no Zakah is to be paid for it, unless the owner wishes to do so.

If the number of camels reaches the number one which a jaz’ah (a four year old camel already starting its fifth year) is due as Zakah, but he only has a ‘hiqqah’ (a she camel which is three years old and starting the fourth), it should be accepted from him alone with two sheep if they were available (to compensate for the difference) or twenty Dirhams. If on the other hand he has to offer a ‘hiqqah’ as Zakah, but he only has a jaz’ah, it is accepted from him, and the Zakah collector will then pay him the difference, which some is twenty Dirhams or two female sheep.’ Related by Al-Bukhari.

{188}- One way of doing this is when three people, each of them has 14 sheep (i.e. one sheep is due on each). So, when the Zakah collector comes, they put them together, which comes to 120 sheep, and then due Zakah is only one sheep. Or if two partners have 201 sheep , and Then the due Zakah Is only one sheep. Or if two partners to 201 sheet, which means that three sheep are due, then they divide them between them, for each to give only one sheep.

{189}-The Zakah collector should not take this last type, (the breeding ram) as this will harm the owner, but he make take any one of these three if he has no other choice, as the old and defective animal is not to be taken as Zakah anyway. The same Arabic word used in the Hadith could be read as ‘al-Mussaddiq’, which is the owner or the one who pays Zakah. In case the meaning would be ‘the male goat’ may not be taken unless the owner permits it to be taken as Zakah, as it is from best animals.

625. Mu’adh bin Jabal : narrated, ‘When the Messenger of Allah sent him to Yemen he commanded him to take a ‘tabi’ (young bull) or ‘tabi’ah’ (young cow, which is one year old), as Zakah for every 30 cows. And for every forty and cows, a musinnah (two year old cow) is due. Every non-Muslim who attained the age of puberty should pay one Dinar or the equivalent from the Mu’afiri clothes (made in a town in Yemen called Ma’afir). {190} Related by the five Imams and the wording is from Ahmad.

{190} This is paid by the people of the Scripture (Christians and Jews) as Jizyah or tax, as they are under the protection of a Muslim government.
626. ‘Amro bin Shu’aib narrated on the authority of his father, who reported on the authority of his grandfather : that the Messenger of Allah said, “The Zakah of the Muslims should be collected by their water trough.” Related by Ahmad. Abu Dawud also has the narration, “Their Zakah should only be collected in their dwellings.” {191}
{191} The point here is that the Zakah collector goes to the payer in his dwelling to make it easier for him, or as some scholars said, that this is not to make the people bring that animals a long way from their water troughs or dwellings.
627. Abu Hurairah : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “No zakah is to be paid on one's horse (that he rides) or one’s slave.” related by Al-Bukhari. Muslim also has the narration, “There is no Zakah to be paid on one’s slave, except for Zakat-ul-Fitr (which is paid at the end of Ramadan, and Muslim must pay it on behalf of all of those he is responsible for).’

628. Bahz bin Hakam narrated on the authority of his father, who reported on the authority of his grandfather : that the Messenger of Allah said, “For every 40 camels, one ‘bint labun’ (a young female camel which is two years old and already starting the third year), is due as Zakah. No camel is to be separated from the rest of the camels (i.e. the jointly owned livestock as mentioned above). Whoever gives it willingly, seeking his reward from Allah, will be rewarded. (However) if someone refrains from paying it, it will be taken from him (by force) along with part of his property (as punishment), for it is a right of Allah. None of it is lawful for the family of Muhammad .” Related by Ahmad, An-Nasa’i, Abu Dawud and Al-Hakim rendered it Sahih.
629. ‘Ali : narrated that the Messenger of Allah : said, “When you possess two hundred Dirhams at the end of the year (if you still have all of them), five Dirhams are levied on them as Zakah. There is nothing upon you (to be paid) in gold, until it reaches (the value of) twenty Dinars. When you possess twenty Dinars, at the end of the year, then there is half a Dinar levied on it (as Zakah). Any additional amount will be calculated in the same manner. No Zakah is to be paid on monetary holdings, until they have been owned for one year. Related by Abu Dawud, who rendered it Hasan.
630. Ibn ‘Umar : narrated, ‘Whoever earns any money, he is not liable to pay Zakah, until the period of a year has passed (while still possessing the same amount of money).’ Related by At-Tirmidhi.

631. ‘Ali : narrated that, ‘There is no Zakah to be paid on working cattle.’ Related by Abu Dawud and Ad-Daraqutni.
632. ‘Amro bin Shu’aib narrated on the authority of his father who reported on the authority of his grandfather, on the authority of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amro that the Messenger of Allah said, “One who becomes the guardian of an orphan, who owns property, must trade on his behalf and not leave it (saved and unused) until it is all eaten up by Zakah (which is paid yearly).” Related by At-Tirmidhi and Ad-Daraqutni with a weak chain of narrators.
633. ‘Abdullah bin Abi Aufa : narrated, ‘Whenever a person came to the Messenger of Allah with their Zakah, he would say, “O Allah! Send your blessings upon them.” Agreed upon.
634. ‘Ali : narrated that al-‘Abbas asked the Messenger of Allah to allow him to pay his Zakah before its due date, and he gave him permission to do so.’ Related by At-Tirmidhi and Al-Hakim.

635. Jabir : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “There is no Zakah to be paid on less than five ounces of silver, less than five camels or less than five Awsuq {192} of dates.” Related by Muslim.

{192} wasaq is equivalent to sixty sa’as (a cubic measure of varying magnitude). Five Awsuq is equivalent to 50 Egyptian kaylah (one Kaylah is a dry measure for grain, 50 Kaylah is equivalent to 653 gm of wheat.

636. Abu Sa’id Al-Khudr : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “There is no Zakah to be paid on any amount of dates or grain less than five Awsuq.” Agreed upon.

637. Salim bin ‘Abdullah narrated on the authority of his father : that the Messenger of Allah said, "A tithe is due as Zakah, on every plant watered by heaven (rain water), springs, or underground water (i.e. watered without effort). While half a tithe is paid on what is watered by irrigation (i.e. machines are used).” Related by Al-Bukhari. Abu Dawud added in his narration, “when it is water by underground water (close to the surface and keeping the land wet), a tithe is paid when the land is watered by wheels by animals.”

638. Abu Musa the Al-Ash’ari Mu’adh : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said to them, “Do not take any Zakah except on these four crops: barley, wheat, raisins and dates.” Related by At-Tabarani and al-Hakim.


639. Imam Ad-Daraqutni related on the authority of Mu’adh : ‘As for cucumbers, watermelons, pomegranates, and sugarcane, the Messenger of Allah has exempted them from Zakah.’ It is transmitted with a weak chain of narrators.

640. Sahl bin Abi Hathmah : narrated, 'We were commanded by the Messenger of Allah , “Whenever you assess the amount of something, estimate the [Zakah] and ignore one-third. If you do not, then leave (at least) one fourth." Related by the five Imams, except for Ibn Majah.

641. ’Attab bin Usaid : narrated that the Messenger of Allah commanded us, “Grapevines are to be estimated exactly as palm trees, and its Zakah is taken in as raisins.”{193} Related by the five Imams.

{193}The point in ignoring a third or fourth of the produce is a reprieve for property owners since they, their guests, and their neighbors need to eat from it. Also, the produce is exposed to birds feeding, passers-by taking some, and being blown away by the wind. An estimation of the total amount of Zakah on all the produce without excluding a third or a fourth of it, would affect the interests of the owners.

642. ‘Amro bin Shu’aib narrated on the authority of his father, who reported on the authority of his grandfather : that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah accompanied by her daughter, who wore two heavy gold bangles. He said to her,[ color=black] “Do you pay Zakah on them?” She said, ‘No.’ He then said, “Are you pleased that Allah may put two bangles of fire on your wrist on the Day of Judgment ?” She then threw them away. Related by the three Imams with a strong chain of narrators.

643. Umm Salamah : narrated that she was wearing golden ornaments and asked the Messenger of Allah 'Is it considered as a treasure?' He said, "If you pay the due Zakah, then it is not considered as a treasure." Related by Abu Dawud and Ad-Darautni.

644. Samurah bin Jundub : narrated that the Messenger of Allah , used to command us to pay Zakah from (the goods) we had prepared for sale. Related by Abu Dawud with a weak chain of narrators.

645. Abu Hurayrah : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "One fifth is compulsory to be paid (as Zakah) on buried treasure." Agreed upon.

646. 'Amro bin Shu'aib narrated on the authority of his father, who reported in the authority of his grandfather : that the Messenger of Allah was asked about a treasure that was found by a man in some ruined land, and he said to him,"If you found it in an inhabited village, then you must advertise its having been found. however, if he found it in an uninhabited village, then on it and the rest of the discovered treasure one fifth is payable as Zakah." Related by Ibn Majah with a reliable chain of narrators.

647. Bilal bin Al-Harith : narrated that the Messenger of Allah took Zakah from the mines of Qabaliyah.{194}

{194}Qabal is a location on the shores of the Red Sea, five days traveling from Madinah.