Disciplines for Zakat Collector

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from af-Nawfafiy from af-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When one of you is invited for food do not allow your children to follow you, because in doing so he eats unlawfully and enters (the house of host) as a usurper.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from his brother Ja‘far ibn ‘Isa ibn Yaqtin who has narrated the following: “Abu al-Hassan, al-Awwal (a.s.), has pronounced this fatwa. ’Bearing testimony to the confession of a woman, whose face is not open, if one knows her in person or the one who is present knows her, is not harmful. However, if she is not known in person and no one present knows her, then bearing testimony against her or against her confession is not permissible without her face being uncovered so that he can look at her face/”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Hammad ibn ‘Isa has narrated from Hariz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked, ‘Does Zakat collector call people in one place or he comes to where people are? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he comes to their places and collects their charity (Zakat).’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from al-Husayn ibn Ahmad al-Minqariy from his maternal uncle who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘If one eats a food to which he is not invited he eats a piece of fire.”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ghiyath ibn Ibrahim who has said the following: “Ja‘far (abu ‘Abd Allah) (a.s.), has narrated from his father from Ali (a.s.), who has said, ‘Charity (Zakat) is not sold before it is received (collected).”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ghiyath ibn Ibrahim who has said the following: “Ja‘far, (abu ‘Abd Allah) (a.s.), has narrated from his father who has that when Ali (a.s.), would send a Zakat collector for his task and say to him, ‘When you go to Zakat payer, say to him, “Give charity, may Allah grant you blessings, out of what Allah has granted you.” If he turns away from you, then you must not go to him again.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj from Muhammad ibn Khalid who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about charity (Zakat). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not accepted from you.’ He (the narrator) then said, ‘I take it from my own assets.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to him, ‘Instruct your Zakat collector not to move from house to house, bring together what is apart and separate what is together. When he approaches people’s assets he should make the sheep stand in two groups, then allow the owner to choose one of the two groups and allow him to have what he chooses. If the owner desires to have one, two or three sheep from the other group, allow him to have it. Thereafter receive his charity (Zakat). When charity (Zakat) is received, distribute it among those whom he (the owner of assets) wants. If something in exchange for the items received as Zakat is offered, then Zakat payer has the priority over others to have it, but if he does not want, it then can be sold (to others).”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

6. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin from his brother Al-Husayn from Ali ibn Yaqtin who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about Zakat which is of the rate of one out of ten and one who distributes it among those who are not harmful. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he is trustworthy, instruct him to deliver it where it should be delivered; but if you cannot trust him, then take it from him and deliver where it should be delivered.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Muhammad ibn Muqarrin ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Zam‘ah ibn Subay‘ from his father from his grandfather from grandfather of his father who has said the following: “’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), wrote to him in the letter that he wrote to him with his own hand writing when he sent him to receive charity (Zakat). Those who owe Jadha’ah as Zakat for camels but do not have Jadha‘ah but have Hiqqah, it is accepted from them, but they must give two sheep along with it or twenty dirham. Those who owe one Hiqqah as Zakat but do not have it, but have Jadha’ah, it is accepted from them and Zakat collector gives them two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who owe Hiqqah as Zakat but do not have Hiqqah but have Ibnata Labun, it is accepted from them with two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who owe Ibnata Labun as Zakat but do not have it, but they have Hiqqah, it is accepted from them and Zakat collector gives them two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who owe Ibnata Labun as Zakat but do not have it but they have Ibnata Makhad, it is accepted from them along with two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who owe Ibnata Makhad as Zakat but do not have it but they have Ibnata Labun, it is accepted from them and Zakat collector gives them two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who do not have Ibnata Makhad as it is but they have a male Ibnata Labun it is accepted from them without anything extra. Those who do not have anything other than four camels and have no other assets, there is not anything on them unless the owner desires (otherwise). If one’s asset is five camels, then its Zakat is one sheep.’” (Ahadith 2-7 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

8. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn al-Asbat from Ahmad ibn Mu’ammar who has said that narrated to me abu al-Hassan al-‘Uraniy from Isma’il ibn Ibrahim from Muhajir from a man from Thaqif who has said the following: “Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.), commissioned me as collector of zakat (charity) for Ban Qiya (al-Qadisiyah today) and suburbs of al-Kufah. In the presence of people he said to me, Take good care of taxes and do not disregard even one dirham.’ However, see me before you leave for your work.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I went to see him and he said to me, “Whatever you heard me say to you was for protective measures only. Never ever beat up a Muslim, a Jew, or a Christian taxpayer for a dirham of tax or buy an animal for work for a dirham. We only receive taxes in ease.’”” (The following chapters are best explained by fatwa.)

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.