Rules about Business Losses

1. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated, from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan, from Safwan ibn Yahya, from Mansur ibn Hazim, from abu Rabi‘ al- Shamiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who purchases a certain kind of goods but its value falls. He had paid Zakat before purchasing such asset. Is there Zakat on him or Zakat becomes due when he sells it? He (the Imam) said, ’If he had held it to increase his capital, he is required to pay Zakat.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Khalid from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the food of the people of the book and what is lawful for food thereof. He (the Imam) said, ’It is grains.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who purchases a certain kind of goods and its value falls. He had paid Zakat of the asset with which he paid for the goods. When is he required to pay Zakat? He (the Imam) said, ‘If he is holding it to preserve his capital, Zakat is not due but if he holds it after getting back his capital, he then is required to pay Zakat, with a view to the fact that he holds it after getting back his capital.’ I asked him (the Imam) about a man with whom assets are kept in deposit and he uses them in business. He (the Imam) said, ’If one year passes he is required to pay Zakat.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who has an asset in stock which remains with him for one year or more time. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not subject to Zakat until he sells it, unless he has paid for it from his capital and has kept it on hold expecting an increase. If that is the case then it is subject to Zakat. If he has not paid for it from his capital, it is not subject to Zakat until he sells it. If he has kept it in stock in substance when he sells it then he is required to pay Zakat of one year only.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Abu Ali al-Ash‘ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from ‘Is ibn al-Qasim who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about eating with the Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians. He (the Imam) said, ’If the food belongs to you then make wudu (wash) and eat with them; it is not unlawful.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

4. Sama‘ah has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who has a certain asset for profit-sharing purposes. Is such asset subject to Zakat if used in business? He (the Imam) said, ‘He must ask the shareholders to pay Zakat and if they said that they pay Zakat, he then is not required to do anything more than that. If they ask him to pay Zakat then he must pay.’ I then said, ‘What happens if they said that we pay but he knows that they do not pay?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If they confirm that they pay, he then is not required to do anything more than that, but if they say that they do not pay Zakat, then it is proper for him not to accept the asset to work with it in business.’” In another Hadith from him (the Imam) it is said that if he out of his own choice and from his own share of profit pays Zakat he can do so. I then asked him (the Imam) about a man who gains five hundred dirham profit in one year. Six and seven hundred is its expenses and the capital for profit sharing. He (the Imam) said, ‘Zakat is not due on profits.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Abd Allah ibn Yahya al-Kahiliy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a Muslim people who take food and a Zoroastrian man comes to them; if they can invite him for food. He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not eat food with Zoroastrians and I dislike making unlawful for you what you do in your lands.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ’Isma‘il ibn Marrar from Yunus from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘Any asset with which you work is subject to Zakat when one year passes.’ Yunus has said that the explanation for it is that whatever asset is used in business, animals or other assets, it is subject to Zakat.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub, from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja’far, Alayhi al-Salam, about the utensils of the non-Muslim taxpayer and Zoroastrians. He (the Imam) said, ’Do not eat in their utensils or from their food which they cook or in the utensils that they use for drinking wine.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

6. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about a man who keeps a certain asset in stock expecting increase and he wants to sell it. Is what is paid for it subject to Zakat? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not subject to Zakat until he sells it and one year passes with the asset in his possession.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from abu al-Jarud who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘The food of the people to whom the book was given is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them.’ (5:5) He (the Imam) said, ‘It is grains and vegetables.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

7. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn Hakim from Khalid ibn al-Hajjaj al-Karkhiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about Zakat. He (the Imam) said, ‘Whatever asset you have for doing business which increases and there is no obstacle for you to sell, except expecting increase over increase, then you must pay Zakat. Whatever you have for business in which there are losses then it is a different issue.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

7. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Khalid from Ya‘qub ibn Yazid from Ali ibn Ja‘far from his brother abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan, Alayhi al-Salam, about eating with a Zoroastrian in a bowl and sleeping with him on one furnishing and shaking hands with him. He (the Imam) said, ‘No.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn abu Hamzah from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Do not accept an asset for profit-sharing business unless you pay its Zakat or the shareholder pays.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If you have an asset in stock in your home for which you are offered payment for your capital but you ignored to receive it, you are required to pay its Zakat.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

8. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from ’Isma‘il ibn Mehran from Muhammad ibn Ziyad from Harun ibn Kharijah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, if I can associate with Zoroastrians and eat from their food. He (the Imam) said, ‘No.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

9. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ’Isma‘il ibn ‘Abd al-Khaliq who has said the following: “Once Sa‘id al-’A‘raj asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), when I was listening, ‘We stock oil and ghee for business and it remains with us for one year or two years. Is there Zakat on it? He (the Imam) said, ‘If you make profit or find your capital, you must pay Zakat, but if you are just waiting because you do not find other asset, then Zakat is not due on it until it is sold for gold or silver. When it becomes gold or silver, then pay Zakat of the year in which you did business.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

9. Abu Ali al-Ash‘ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from ’Isma‘il ibn Jabir who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the people of the book and what he (the Imam) says about their food. He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not eat it.’ He (the Imam) then remained quiet then said, ‘Do not eat it’ He (the Imam) then remained quiet then said, ‘Do not eat it and do not leave it. Say that it is unlawful, however, you can leave to abstain thereof because in their utensils there is wine and flesh of pigs.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar ibn Marwan from Sanaa ‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ’Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the food of the people of the book and what is lawful for food thereof. He (the Imam) said, ’It is grains.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.