Zakat on Gold and Silver

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘On every two hundred dirham of silver Zakat is five dirham, and on less than two hundred Zakat is not due. On every twenty Dinar of gold half dinar is Zakat and on less than this Zakat is not due.’”

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

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from ibn Khalid from Muhammad ibn Ali from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamzah al-Thumaliy who has said the following: “Once I was in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, when a man came and offered Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) and asked, ‘Who are you, O servant of Allah?’ I replied, ‘I am a man from al-Kufah.’ I then asked, ‘What do you need?’ He asked, ‘Do you know abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) ?’ I replied, ‘Yes, I know him (the Imam). What do you need from him?’ He said, ‘I have prepared forty questions to ask from him for answers and then what is right and true I will accept, and what is false, leave them alone.’ Abu Hamzah has said, ‘I then asked him if he was able to distinguish between truth and falsehood.’ He replied, ‘Yes, I can do so.’ I then asked him, ‘Why do you need him when you are able to distinguish between truth and falsehood?’ He said, ‘People of al- Kufah, you are such that one cannot talk to you. If you see abu Ja‘far then inform me.’ Our conversation was not yet complete that abu Ja’far (a.s.), came with people of Khurasan around him as well as other people asking him questions about the rules of al-Hajj. He (the Imam) went to his place and sat down and the man (Qatadah) sat near him (the Imam). Abu Hamzah has said, ‘I then sat where I could hear (people) speaking. Around him (the Imam) there was a world (large group) of people. When he (the Imam) completed what the people needed and they left, he (the Imam) turned to the man and asked, ‘Who are you?’ He replied, ‘I am Qatadah ibn al-Da‘amah al-Basriy.’ Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), asked, ‘Are you faqih of people of al-Basrah?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I am their faqih.’ Abu Ja’far (a.s.), then said, ‘Fie upon you, O Qatadah. You must notice that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has created creatures in His creation and has made them a barrier over His creation, and they are the pillars on His earth, protectors of His commandments, the noble ones in His knowledge whom He had chosen before His creation, while as shadows on the right of His throne.’ He (the narrator) has said that Qatadah remained silent for a long time, then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, I have sat before scholars of fiqh and before ibn ‘Abbas but my heart did not become nervous before anyone of them as it has become nervous before you.’ Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), said, ‘Fie upon you, do you realize where are sitting? You are before the houses for which Allah has declared to be raised and therein Allah is spoken of. (It happens there) in the mornings and evenings, by men who are not distracted by trade or other forms of business from speaking about Allah, performing Salat (prayer) and paying Zakat. You are in such house and we are the people therein.’ Qatadah said, ‘You have spoken the truth by Allah, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, by Allah they are not houses of stones and clay.’ Qatadah then asked, ‘Tell me about cheese.’ Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), smiled then said, ‘Have all of your questions ended up to this?’ He replied, ‘They have become mixed and confusing.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’ He said, ‘What happens if perhaps rennet from a dead animal is placed in it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful because rennet does not have any veins and blood or bones. It only comes out of a dead animal from the middle of dung and blood.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Rennet is like an egg that comes out of a dead chicken. Is that egg edible?’ Qatadah said, ‘No, it is not edible and I do not command anyone to eat it.’ Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), asked, ‘Why do you not eat it?’ He replied, ‘Because it is dead.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘If that egg is hatched and it becomes a chicken will you eat the chicken?’ Qatadah replied, ‘Yes, I will do so.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘What is it that makes you to eat the chicken but not the egg from which it has come out?’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘The same rule applies to rennet which is like the egg. You can buy cheese from the market of Muslims from the hands of those who perform Salat (prayer) and do not ask about it, unless someone comes and informs you about it.’”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Rifa‘ah al-Nakhkhas who has said the following: “Once, a man asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘I am a jeweler and I make jewelry with my own hands. Five or ten accumulates with me. Is Zakat due on it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If two hundred accumulates and it remains in your possession for one year then Zakat is due.”’

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ’Isma‘il ibn Marrar from Yunus from ‘A’immah, ‘Alayhim af-Salam, who has said the following: “’A’immah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, have said, ‘Five advantageous things to people are clean. Of such things, one is rennet, eggs, wool, hairs, and fur and it is not unlawful to eat cheese. All of such things must come from the hands of Muslims or non-Muslims. It is only undesirable to eat them, except rennet, which is in the utensils of Zoroastrian and people of the book, because they do not pay attention to dead animals and wine.’”

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

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Uqbah and A number of our people have narrated from who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far, and abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, have said, ‘Zakat is not due on what is less than twenty Mithqal of gold. If it is a complete twenty Mithqal, half Mithqal is Zakat thereof. Once it becomes complete twenty-four, then three-fifth of a dinar is Zakat thereof up until it is twenty-eight. Thereafter on the increase of every four, three-fifth of a dinar is Zakat thereof.’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from al-Husayn ibn Zurarah who has said the following: “Once I was with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and my father was asking him (the Imam) questions about milk from a dead animal, eggs from dead chickens and rennet from dead animals. He (the Imam) said, ‘All of these things are clean.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I then asked him (the Imam) about the hairs of pigs from which ropes are made and are used to draw water from wells for drinking or wudu.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’ Ali ibn ‘Uqbah and Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Ribat have added saying, ‘Hairs and wool, all of it is clean.’ In the Hadith of Safwan from al-Husayn ibn Zurarah from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), it says that hairs, wool, fur and feathers and all growing things (on the body of animals which is slaughtered properly) but are not dead. He (the narrator) has said, ‘I then asked about the egg that comes from a dead chicken. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can eat it.’”

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

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from ibn ‘Uyaynah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Once the amount of gold becomes more than twenty dinar then on every four dinar Zakat is one out of ten dinar.’”

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

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad from Hariz who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to Zurarah and Muhammad ibn Muslim has stated this Hadith. ‘The milk, that kind of milk which is drawn first, eggs, hairs, wool, horns, teeth, hooves and everything separated from sheep and the stumper is clean but if you take such things after the animal dies then wash it and perform Salat (prayer) with it.’”

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad, from Hariz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about gold and the amount of its Zakat. He (the Imam) said, ‘Once its value amounts up to two hundred dirham then Zakat is payable.’”

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

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ghiyath ibn Ibrahim who has said the following: “About the case of an egg which comes out of the bottom of a dead chicken, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the egg is covered with its thick crust , then it is not unlawful.’”

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

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Husayn ibn Bashshar who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘How much Zakat, the Messenger of Allah has levied? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is five dirham on every two hundred and if it is less, then Zakat is not due. On every twenty dinar of gold Zakat is half dinar and Zakat is not due on less than twenty dinar.’”

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

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from al-Mukhtar ibn Muhammad ibn al-Mukhtar and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from ‘Abd Allah ibn al- Hassan al-‘Alawiy all from al-Fath ibn Yazid al-Jurjaniy who has said the following: “I once wrote to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), asking about the skins of dead animals which are of the edible kind if slaughtered properly. He (the Imam) wrote in answer, ‘It is not permissible to benefit from the skins of dead animals or sinew (but you can benefit) from items from lambs, like wool even if they are pulled out, hairs, fur and rennet and nothing besides these by the will of Allah.’”

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

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from and Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was once asked about the minimum Zakat on gold and silver. He (the Imam) said, ‘The minimum is two hundred and the equivalent of it of gold.’ I then asked about fifteen and change. He (the Imam) said, ‘Zakat is not due on it until it becomes forty, then for every forty Zakat is one dirham.’”

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

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from ‘Asem ibn Hamid from Ali ibn al-Mughirah who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, is it permissible to benefit from dead animals?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not permissible.’ I then said, ‘It is narrated to us from the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, that he (the Messenger of Allah) passed by a dead sheep and said, “What was wrong with the owners of this sheep? If they could not benefit from its flesh why did they not benefit from its skin?”’ He (the Imam) said, ‘That sheep belonged to Sawdah daughter of Zam‘ah, wife of the Holy Prophet. The sheep was very skinny and weak and its flesh was not useful; so they left it until it died. The Messenger of Allah then said, “What was wrong with the owners of this sheep. If they could not benefit from its flesh why did they not benefit from its skin?”’

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

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ’Isma‘il ibn Marrar from Yunus from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I once said to abu Ibrahim (a.s.), ‘There is one hundred ninety dirham and nineteen dinar. Is there Zakat on it? He (the Imam) said, ‘If gold and silver together amount to two hundred dirham, then there is Zakat payable, because dirham represents the value of wealth and items other than dirham like gold and goods are evaluated on the basis of dirham in matters of Zakat and compensations.’”

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

9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Hilal from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Zayd al-Sa‘igh who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that I have been in a town in Khurasan called Bukhara’. I saw dirhams used there had one-third of silver, one-third of copper and one-third of lead and it was lawful among them. I would use and spend them. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘There is no offence in it if it is lawful among them.’ I then asked, ‘If it remains with me for one year with other goods, is there Zakat on it? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, there is Zakat on it; it is of your assets.’ I then asked, ‘If I take it to a town where they are not accepted and used and it remains with me for one whole year. Is there Zakat on it? He (the Imam) said, ‘If you know that there is pure silver in it which amounts to a quantity subject to Zakat, then you must pay Zakat thereof for pure silver therein and leave the rest of dirt.’ I then asked, ‘If I do not know the amount of pure silver in it, however I know that the amount of silver existing is the amount which is subject to Zakat.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Cast it until silver is pure and dirt is burned, then after passing of one year it becomes subject to Zakat.”

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