Payment of Zakat from Properties not Subject to Zakat

كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي ع هَلْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُخْرَجَ عَمَّا يَجِبُ فِي الْحَرْثِ مِنَ الْحِنْطَةِ وَ الشَّعِيرِ وَ مَا يَجِبُ عَلَى الذَّهَبِ دَرَاهِمُ بِقِيمَةِ مَا يَسْوَى أَمْ لَا يَجُوزُ إِلَّا أَنْ يُخْرَجَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ مَا فِيهِ فَأَجَابَ ع أَيُّمَا تَيَسَّرَ يُخْرَجُ.

“I once wrote to abu al-Hassan, al-Thaniy (a.s.), and asked him (the Imam) if it is permissible to pay Zakat which is due on grains, like wheat and barley and on gold by means of dirham in equal value or is it necessary to pay from the same substance on which Zakat is due? He (the Imam) answered, ‘Whichever is availabl

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُعْطِي عَنْ زَكَاتِهِ مِنَ الدَّرَاهِمِ دَنَانِيرَ وَ عَنِ الدَّنَانِيرِ دَرَاهِمَ بِالْقِيمَةِ أَ يَحِلُّ ذَلِكَ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ.

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who pays Zakat due on dirham with dinar and Zakat which is due on dinar with dirham. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’”

قُلْتُ لَهُ يَشْتَرِي الرَّجُلُ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ الثِّيَابَ وَ السَّوِيقَ- وَ الدَّقِيقَ وَ الْبِطِّيخَ وَ الْعِنَبَ فَيَقْسِمُهُ قَالَ لَا يُعْطِيهِمْ إِلَّا الدَّرَاهِمَ كَمَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if a man with Zakat (that he owes) can buy clothes, al-Sawiq (prepared food), flour, melons and grapes and distribute it among the deserving people. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot pay except by dirham which Allah, most Blessed, most High, has commanded.’”