Preferences among the Recipients of Zakat

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from ‘Utaybah ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Ajlan al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about the case of my gifts, for keeping good relations, to my friends and how I should do it. He (the Imam) said, ‘Give it to them on the basis of their migration to religion, intelligence and fiqh (proper understanding of Shari ‘ah).’”

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

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim who has said the following: “Once we along with ibn abu Ya‘fur visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and we were a group. Food was prepared and we had lunch. He (the Imam) also took lunch with us. I was the youngest in the group and I made it shorter in my eating. He (the Imam) then said, ’Eat. Did you not know that one’s love for his brother (in belief) comes to light when he eats from his food?”’

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

2. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Safwan ibn Yahya and Ibn Abi ‘Umayr all from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), if in paying Zakat priorities, such as those asking and those not asking for help can be given preference among beneficiaries. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, those beneficiaries who do not ask for help have priority over those who ask for help.’”

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd ai-’Aziz from a man from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn al-Hajj aj who has said the following: “Once we were having food with abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), and a bowl of rice was brought but we just left it untouched. He (the Imam) (a.s.), said, ‘You did not eat anything thereof. You must take notice that the one among you with intense love for us is the one who eats our food well.’ ‘Abd al-Rahman said, ‘I then ate even the pieces that had fallen on the table-spread.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Now this is good’ and he (the Imam) kept speaking that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, was presented with a gift of a bowl of rice from the side of al- Ansar (people of al-Madinah). He (the Messenger of Allah) called Salman, al-Miqdad and abu Dharr, may Allah be happy with them, but they did not eat thereof. He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘You did not eat anything thereof. The one among you of intense love for us is the one who eats our food well.’”

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

3. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ibrahim ibn Ishaq from Muhammad ibn Sulayman from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said, ‘Zakat for animals with hooves and Zakat of the cloven-footed ones are given to Muslims who maintain good-looking style but Zakat of gold, silver, and whatever is measured by measuring devices of what the earth produces is given to those who sit on dirt.’ Ibn Sinan has said that he then asked, ‘How has this become so? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is because those who maintain beauty feel shy before people to ask, thus more beautiful of the two to people is given to them and the whole thing is charity (Zakat) (after all).’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya Ahmad ibn Muhammad from af-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub from ‘Isa ibn abu Mansur who has said the following: “I once was having food with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he (the Imam) kept placing Kabab before me. He (the Imam) then said, ’O ‘Isa, it is said that if you like to find out how much one loves his brother (in belief), see how much he eats from the food of his brother.’”

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

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ’Isma‘il ibn Marrar from Yunus from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Ali ibn abu Hamzah who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about a man who is required to pay Zakat in the amount of one thousand dirham. He distributes it and thinks to give a certain amount to a certain person but then for some reason he gives it to someone else. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’”

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

4. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bandar has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from a number of his people from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sulayman al-Sayrafiy who has said the following: “I once was with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and food was brought for us with kabab and other things in it, then a bowl of rice was brought. I ate with him (the Imam). He (the Imam) said, ‘Eat.’ I said, ‘I ate.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Eat because the love of a brother (in belief) is proportionate with how much he eats from his food.’ He (the Imam) then marked with his finger in the bowl and said to me, ‘You must eat that after you have eaten.’ I then ate it.’”

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from certain persons of his people from ‘Anbasah ibn Mus’ab who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Once something was brought to the Holy prophet and he distributed it among the people of al-Suffah (the platform); but it was not enough and he gave it to special ones among them. The Holy prophet, was afraid of what might the others think. The Holy prophet came to them and said, ‘I before Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, apologize to you, O people of al-Suffah. Something was brought to us and we wanted to distribute it among you but it was not enough; so we gave it to special ones among you for fear of their impatience and dismay.’”

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

5. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah has narrated from ’Isma‘il ibn Mehran from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah from abu al-Mighra’ al- ‘ Ij liy who has said that narrated to me ‘Anbasah ibn Mus’ab saying the following: “We once visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when he (the Imam) was about to leave for Makkah. He (the Imam) ordered a package of food and it was placed before us. He (the Imam) said, ‘Eat.’ We ate. He (the Imam) said, ‘You have proved it, you have proved it, because it is said to find out a people’s love for you by means of the manner of their eating your food.’ We ate and there was no formality.’”

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

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from al-Husayn ibn ‘Uthman from those whom he has mentioned who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, or abu al-Hassan, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about a man who keeps something for someone then for some reason gives it to someone else, has said, ‘It is not harmful.’”

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

6. Al-Husayn from Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-ffassan ibn Ali from Yunus from abu al-Rabi’ who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked for food. Mashed grain and meat was brought for us. He (the Imam) said, ’Come near and eat.’ He (the narrator) has said, The people went close but made the eating short. He (the Imam) said, ’Eat because it shows one’s love for his brother (in belief).’ We then ate in large morsels like hungry camels do.’”

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