Al-Kafi · Hadith 9

The Book of al-Zakat · The Obligation of al-Zakat (charity) and Necessary Payments from Properties · Volume 3, book 5, chapter 1, Hadith 9

Original Arabic text

9ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) وَمَعَنَا بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ الأمْوَالِ فَذَكَرُوا الزَّكَاةَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) إِنَّ الزَّكَاةَ لَيْسَ يُحْمَدُ بِهَا صَاحِبُهَا وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ شَيْ‏ءٌ ظَاهِرٌ إِنَّمَا حَقَنَ بِهَا دَمَهُ وَسُمِّيَ بِهَا مُسْلِماً وَلَوْ لَمْ يُؤَدِّهَا لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلاَةٌ وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي أَمْوَالِكُمْ غَيْرَ الزَّكَاةِ فَقُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ الله وَمَا عَلَيْنَا فِي أَمْوَالِنَا غَيْرُ الزَّكَاةِ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ الله أَ مَا تَسْمَعُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَالَّذِينَ فِي أَمْوالِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَعْلُومٌ. لِلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ قَالَ قُلْتُ مَا ذَا الْحَقُّ الْمَعْلُومُ الَّذِي عَلَيْنَا قَالَ هُوَ الشَّيْ‏ءُ يَعْمَلُهُ الرَّجُلُ فِي مَالِهِ يُعْطِيهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ أَوْ فِي الْجُمْعَةِ أَوْ فِي الشَّهْرِ قَلَّ أَوْ كَثُرَ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ يَدُومُ عَلَيْهِ وَقَوْلَهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْماعُونَ قَالَ هُوَ الْقَرْضُ يُقْرِضُهُ وَالْمَعْرُوفُ يَصْطَنِعُهُ وَمَتَاعُ الْبَيْتِ يُعِيرُهُ وَمِنْهُ الزَّكَاةُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ لَنَا جِيرَاناً إِذَا أَعَرْنَاهُمْ مَتَاعاً كَسَرُوهُ وَأَفْسَدُوهُ فَعَلَيْنَا جُنَاحٌ إِنْ نَمْنَعْهُمْ فَقَالَ لاَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ إِنْ تَمْنَعُوهُمْ إِذَا كَانُوا كَذَلِكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعامَ عَلى‏ حُبِّهِ مِسْكِيناً وَيَتِيماً وَأَسِيراً قَالَ لَيْسَ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ قُلْتُ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهارِ سِرًّا وَعَلانِيَةً قَالَ لَيْسَ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِنْ تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ وَإِنْ تُخْفُوها وَتُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَراءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ قَالَ لَيْسَ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ وَصِلَتُكَ قَرَابَتَكَ لَيْسَ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ.

Published English translation

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from af-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from abu af-Maghra’ from abu Basir who has said the following: “Once we were in the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.). With us, there were certain wealthier persons. People spoke about zakat. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘One does not become very much praiseworthy for paying zakat, although it is something purifying. Obviously, he has only protected his life and because of such payment is called a Muslim. Were he not to pay zakat his Salah (prayer) would not receive acceptance. However, on your properties, payments other than zakat are also due.’ I (the narrator) than asked, ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, what other payments, besides zakat, are due on our properties?’ He replied, ‘Allah is free of all defects. Have you not heard the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, in His book, “They are those who assign a certain share of their property (70:24) for the needy and the deprived.” (70:25) I (the narrator) then asked, ‘What is the “certain share,” in our properties, due on us?’ He replied, ‘It is the amount that one pays from his property every day, or every Friday or every month in small amounts or large amounts and continues doing so. It also is mentioned in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “. . . and refuse to help the needy.” (107:7) This kind of help is what one considers necessary to pay as a loan, or a favor or household items borrowed and of this kind is zakat.’ I then said, ‘We have such neighbors that on lending things to them they may break or destroy them. Is it alright if we deny them such things?’ He replied, ‘In such case you are not blamed.’ I then asked about the words of Allah, ‘They feed the destitute, orphans, and captives for the love of Allah. . .’ (76:8) He said, ‘That is not of zakat.’ I then asked about the words of Allah, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . they spent their property during the night and day, publicly or privately’ (2:273) He said, ‘It is not of zakat.’ I then asked about the words of Allah, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘It is alright if you pay charity publicly but if you pay to the needy privately it is better for you.’ (2:270) The Imam said, ‘It is not of zakat. Keeping good relations with your relatives is not of zakat.’”

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: حسن

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (16/9)

Assessment transcribed from the source's named scholar and reference. No new grading or consensus is asserted; differing entries remain separate.

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi: Catalogue non-inclusion note (not an authenticity grade)

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī

Source records non-inclusion in this scholar's selection; this is not itself a weak or authentic grade.

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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
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