Preferences for Relatives and Those of Them to Whom Zakat Cannot Be Paid

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Abd al-Malik ibn ‘Utbah from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I once said to abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), that I pay Zakat to my relatives and give preference to certain ones among them over the others when it is time to pay Zakat. He (the Imam) asked, ’Are they deserving beneficiaries?’ I replied, ‘Yes, they deserve.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘They are better than others, you should give it to them.’ I then asked, ‘Who among them is the one to whom I must not pay as Zakat?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘They are your father and mother.’ I then said, ‘My father and mother!’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The parents and children.’”

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), would feed us milk with sugar or a mixture of dates and bread, then give us bread and oil. It was then said to him (the Imam), ’We wish you organize and plan your affairs to balance them out.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘We do so by the command of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious. When He expands sustenance for us, we also expand spending; and when He gives us in measures, we also spend in measures.”’

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

2. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Muthanna’ from abu Basir who has said the following: “Once someone asked him (the Imam) ‘Alayhi al-Salam, when I was hearing, saying, ‘Can I pay Zakat to my relatives and they do not know (this belief)? He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not pay Zakat to anyone who is not a Muslim, but give them from other things.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘Do you think that Allah has made just Zakat obligatory on one’s assets? In fact, other things that Allah has made obligatory on one’s assets are more than Zakat. You pay to relatives, to one who asks you and you pay as long as you do not know him to be hostile; but when you learn that he is hostile, then do not pay him anything unless you are afraid of his tongue, in which case you buy your religion and dignity from him.’”

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

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘There are three things for which Allah does not ask a believing person for accounting. One of such item is the food that he eats, the clothes that he wears and a virtuous wife who cooperates and with her he protects his chastity.’”

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

3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr who has said the following: “I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a man who has relatives, friends and followers who love ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), but they do not acknowledge the owner of this issue (one who possesses Divine Authority) if he can give Zakat to them. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot give Zakat to them.’”

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

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Khalid from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from abu Sa‘id from abu Hamzah who has said the following: “Once we were in a group with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.). He (the Imam) ordered such a food the like of which in good taste and elegance we had never seen. Thereafter dates were brought, in which we could see the reflection of our faces because of their clarity and goodness. A man then said, ‘We will be held accountable for these bounties that we have received in the house of the child of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, is honorable and glorious. Once He gives you food and makes it delicious, He then does not hold you accountable for it. However, He will ask you about what He has granted through Muhammad and Ale (of) Muhammad (SAW).’”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Zur’ah ibn Muhammad from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who owes Zakat and has needy relatives who do not know (one who possesses Divine Authority). ‘Can he give Zakat to them?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot give them and it is not an honor. He must not make Zakat to guard his assets. He can give them from his other assets if he likes.’”

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

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam from Shihab ibn ‘Abde Rabbihi who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Extragance (overspending) is not applicable in food.’”

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

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah, from his father from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Jawhariy from al-Harith ibn Hariz from Sadir al-Sayrafiy from abu Khalid al-Kabuliy who has said the following: “I once visited abu Ja‘far (a.s.). He (the Imam) ordered food. I ate a food with him the like of which I never before had seen in cleanness and elegance. When we finished our food he (the Imam) asked, ‘O abu Khalid, how was your food’ or that he (the Imam) said, ‘Our food?’ I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I had never seen such a food in delicacy and cleanness ever before; but I remembered the verse which is in the book of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . on that day you will be asked about the bounties.’ (108:8) Abu Ja’far (a.s.), said, ‘No, you will be asked only about the truth in which you are, (belief in the divine authority of ‘A’immah).”’

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

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn af-Hakam from Shihab ibn ‘ Abd Rabbibi who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Prepare food and make it unique; then invite your friends for it.’”

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

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya and Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah have narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Ja‘far from Ahmad ibn Hamzah who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who is one of your followers whose relatives all speak of you and he owes Zakat; can he pay all of his Zakat to them. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’”

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

8. Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Mahziyar from who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who pays all of his Zakat to his relatives who have accepted you as their Waliy (one who possesses Divine Authority). He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’”

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

9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Imran ibn ’Isma‘il ibn ‘Imran al-Qummiy who has said the following: “I once wrote to abu al-Hassan, the third (a.s.), and asked, ‘I have children, men and women. Can I pay from Zakat anything to them?’ He (the Imam) wrote to me, ‘It is permissible for you.’”

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

10. Ahmad ibn Idris and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from certain persons of our people from Muhammad ibn Jazzak who has said the following: “I once asked al-Sadiq, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Can I give one out of ten of my asset to the children of my daughter? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is not harmful.’”

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

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Zakat cannot be given to five kinds of people: father, mother, children, slaves, and one’s wife, because they are one’s dependents for whom one must provide sustenance.’”

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

6. Ahmad ibn Idris and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from abu Jamilah from Zayd al-Shahham who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Zakat can be given to one’s brother, sister, uncle, aunt (paternal and maternal); but it cannot be given to grandfather and grandmother.’”

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