Refusal to Pay zakat

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ ما بَخِلُوا بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ[2] فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَمْنَعُ مِنْ زَكَاةِ مَالِهِ شَيْئاً إِلَّا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ ذَلِكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ثُعْبَاناً مِنْ نَارٍ مُطَوَّقاً فِي عُنُقِهِ يَنْهَشُ مِنْ لَحْمِهِ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ مِنَ الْحِسَابِ ثُمَّ قَالَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- سَيُطَوَّق

“Once I asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about the following words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ’. . . whatever they are avaricious about will be tied to their necks on the Day of Judgment. . (3:180) The Imam said, ‘O abu Muhammad, if one refuses to pay zakat Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, on the D

بَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فِي الْمَسْجِدِ إِذْ قَالَ قُمْ يَا فُلَانُ قُمْ يَا فُلَانُ قُمْ يَا فُلَانُ حَتَّى أَخْرَجَ خَمْسَةَ نَفَرٍ فَقَالَ اخْرُجُوا مِنْ مَسْجِدِنَا لَا تُصَلُّوا فِيهِ وَ أَنْتُمْ لَا تُزَكُّونَ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Isma’if ibn Marrar from Yunus from ibn Muskan in a marfu‘ manner from a man who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Once, when, in the Masjid, the Messenger of Allah asked several people to stand up. They numbered five people and then he asked them

مَنْ مَنَعَ قِيرَاطاً مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ فَلَيْسَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ وَ لَا مُسْلِمٍ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ. لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صالِحاً فِيما تَرَكْتُ‌[1]. - وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى‌ وَ لَا تُقْبَلُ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that if one refuses to pay even a Qirat of zakat, he is not a believer or a Muslim and this is mentioned in the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, as follows: ’. . . Lord, allow me to go back so I can do good deeds in what I have left. . . .’(23:99-100)” In another Hadith it

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَا مِنْ ذِي زَكَاةِ مَالٍ نَخْلٍ أَوْ زَرْعٍ أَوْ كَرْمٍ يَمْنَعُ زَكَاةَ مَالِهِ إِلَّا قَلَّدَهُ اللَّهُ تُرْبَةَ أَرْضِهِ يُطَوَّقُ بِهَا مِنْ سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.

‘Whoever refuses to pay zakat due on any produce of his palm trees, plantations or vineyard, Allah makes that land up to seven levels to hang from his neck until the Day of Judgment.’”

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ دَمَانِ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ حَلَالٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ لَا يَقْضِي فِيهِمَا أَحَدٌ حَتَّى يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ قَائِمَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ فَإِذَا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَائِمَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ حَكَمَ فِيهِمَا بِحُكْمِ اللَّهِ لَا يُرِيدُ عَلَيْهِمَا بَيِّنَةً الزَّانِي الْمُحْصَنُ يَرْجُمُهُ وَ مَانِعُ الزَّكَاةِ يَضْرِبُ عُنُقَهُ‌[2]. - عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to me, ‘Allah has made it lawful, in Islam, to destroy two kinds of lives. No one can issue judgment about it until the rise of a person from our Ahl al-Bayt. When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, allows this person from our Ahl al-Bayt, he then judges them according to the laws

مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ أَدَّى الزَّكَاةَ[1] فَنَقَصَتْ مِنْ مَالِهِ وَ لَا مَنَعَهَا أَحَدٌ فَزَادَتْ فِي مَالِهِ.

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that there is no one who pays his zakat who then experiences any decrease in his wealth. Also no increase takes place in the wealth of one who refuses to pay zakat which is due on him.”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَمْنَعُ دِرْهَماً فِي حَقِّهِ إِلَّا أَنْفَقَ اثْنَيْنِ فِي غَيْرِ حَقِّهِ وَ مَا رَجُلٌ يَمْنَعُ حَقّاً مِنْ مَالِهِ إِلَّا طَوَّقَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ حَيَّةً مِنْ نَارٍ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘If one dirham of rights of a person is denied it can cause double of this much to be spent elsewhere. If anyone refuses to pay a right which is due on his wealth, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, because of this will cause a serpent of fire to curl around him on the Day

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَلْعُونٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَالٌ لَا يُزَكَّى.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Condemned and condemned indeed is one who refuses to pay zakat.’”

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ أَخْرَجَ زَكَاةَ مَالِهِ تَامَّةً فَوَضَعَهَا فِي مَوْضِعِهَا لَمْ يُسْأَلْ مِنْ أَيْنَ اكْتَسَبَ مَالَهُ.

“If one pays, completely, the amount of zakat which is due on his wealth to the proper recipient, he is not asked how he has earned his wealth.”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ ما بَخِلُوا بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ[2] قَالَ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ مَنَعَ مِنْ زَكَاةِ مَالِهِ شَيْئاً إِلَّا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ثُعْبَاناً مِنْ نَارٍ يُطَوَّقُ فِي عُنُقِهِ يَنْهَشُ مِنْ لَحْمِهِ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ مِنَ الْحِسَابِ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- سَيُطَوَّقُونَ ما بَخِلُوا بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ قَا

“I asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘. . . whatever they are avaricious about will be tied to their necks on the Day of Judgment. . .’ (3:180). The Imam said, ‘O abu Muhammad, if one refuses to pay zakat, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, on the Day of

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ مَنَعَ الزَّكَاةَ سَأَلَ الرَّجْعَةَ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ. لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صالِحاً فِيما تَرَكْتُ‌.

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘One who refuses to pay zakat, on the time of his death asks to be returned to life again and this is referred to in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “. . . Lord, allow me to go back so I can do good deeds in what I have left. . (23:99-100)

صَلَاةٌ مَكْتُوبَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عِشْرِينَ حَجَّةً وَ حَجَّةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ بَيْتٍ مَمْلُوءٍ ذَهَباً يُنْفِقُهُ فِي بِرٍّ حَتَّى يَنْفَدَ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ لَا أَفْلَحَ مَنْ ضَيَّعَ عِشْرِينَ بَيْتاً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ بِخَمْسَةٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ دِرْهَماً فَقُلْتُ وَ مَا مَعْنَى خَمْسَةٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ دِرْهَماً قَالَ مَنْ مَنَعَ الزَّكَاةَ وُقِفَتْ صَلَاتُهُ حَتَّى يُزَكِّيَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that performing an obligatory Salah (prayer) is more excellent than twenty Hajj and one Hajj is more excellent than giving as charity one houseful of gold.’ The narrator has said that the Imam then said, ‘There is no salvation for one who loses twenty housefuls of gold for only (because

قَالَ: مَلْعُونٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَالٌ لَا يُزَكَّى.

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that condemned, and condemned indeed is (a property or) one who does not pay zakat.”

مَنْ مَنَعَ قِيرَاطاً مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ فَلْيَمُتْ إِنْ شَاءَ يَهُودِيّاً أَوْ نَصْرَانِيّاً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one (Muslim) who does not pay zakat dies as a Jew or a Christian; (he is given the chance to choose).”

مَا ضَاعَ مَالٌ فِي بَرٍّ وَ لَا بَحْرٍ إِلَّا بِتَضْيِيعِ الزَّكَاةِ وَ لَا يُصَادُ مِنَ الطَّيْرِ إِلَّا مَا ضَيَّعَ تَسْبِيحَهُ.

15. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan from Ali ibn al-Nu‘man from Ishaq who has said the following: “Narrated to me one who had heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘A property is not lost, on land or in the sea, unless payment of its zakat is withheld. A bird does not become victim of hunting unle

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَانِعُ الزَّكَاةِ يُطَوَّقُ بِحَيَّةٍ قَرْعَاءَ وَ تَأْكُلُ مِنْ دِمَاغِهِ‌[2] وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ ما بَخِلُوا بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ.

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘One who refuses to pay zakat will have a bald serpent curled around him. It will feed on his brain. This is mentioned in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “. . . whatever they are avaricious about will be tied to their necks on the Day of Judgment. . . ’”” (

وَجَدْنَا فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ ع قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ إِذَا مُنِعَتِ الزَّكَاةُ مَنَعَتِ الْأَرْضُ بَرَكَاتِهَا.

‘When paying zakat is refused, the land withholds her blessings.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَا مِنْ طَيْرٍ يُصَادُ إِلَّا بِتَرْكِهِ التَّسْبِيحَ وَ مَا مِنْ مَالٍ يُصَابُ إِلَّا بِتَرْكِ الزَّكَاةِ.

‘A bird does not become victim of hunting unless it forgets Tasbih (glorifying Allah). A property is not lost unless zakat which is due on it is withheld.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَا مِنْ ذِي مَالٍ ذَهَبٍ أَوْ فِضَّةٍ يَمْنَعُ زَكَاةَ مَالِهِ إِلَّا حَبَسَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِقَاعٍ قَرْقَرٍ وَ سَلَّطَ عَلَيْهِ شُجَاعاً أَقْرَعَ يُرِيدُهُ وَ هُوَ يَحِيدُ عَنْهُ فَإِذَا رَأَى أَنَّهُ لَا مَخْلَصَ لَهُ مِنْهُ أَمْكَنَهُ مِنْ يَدِهِ فَقَضِمَهَا كَمَا يُقْضَمُ الْفُجْلُ‌[1] ثُمَّ يَصِيرُ طَوْقاً فِي عُنُقِهِ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Any wealthy person owning gold and silver who refuses to pay zakat, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, on the Day of Judgment will keep him in captivity in a flat land. He (Allah) will send a bald serpent who will chase him and he will flee until he finds it impossible to es

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَا حَبَسَ عَبْدٌ زَكَاةً فَزَادَتْ فِي مَالِهِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘If a person withholds payment of zakat due on his wealth, his wealth does not increase.’”

مَنْ مَنَعَ حَقّاً لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْفَقَ فِي بَاطِلٍ مِثْلَيْهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one who refuses to pay the right of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, spends double as much for falsehood.”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى يَبْعَثُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ نَاساً مِنْ قُبُورِهِمْ مَشْدُودَةً أَيْدِيهِمْ إِلَى أَعْنَاقِهِمْ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ أَنْ يَتَنَاوَلُوا بِهَا قِيسَ أَنْمُلَةٍ[3] مَعَهُمْ مَلَائِكَةٌ يُعَيِّرُونَهُمْ تَعْيِيراً شَدِيداً يَقُولُونَ هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ مَنَعُوا خَيْراً قَلِيلًا مِنْ خَيْرٍ كَثِيرٍ هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ أَعْطَاهُمُ اللَّهُ فَمَنَعُوا حَقَّ اللَّهِ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, the most Holy, the most High, will raise a people from their graves, on the Day of Judgment, their hands tied up to their necks and they will not be able to take anything even from a distance of one finger. Angels along with them censure them severely and say, “These were the ones

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَرَنَ الزَّكَاةَ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ‌ أَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ آتُوا الزَّكاةَ فَمَنْ أَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَ لَمْ يُؤْتِ الزَّكَاةَ لَمْ يُقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has joined zakat with Salah (prayer), saying, “Maintain Salah (prayer) and pay zakat.” Thus, if one does not pay zakat, he has not performed Salah (prayer).”’