Chapter on Miscellaneous Issues Regarding Zakat

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلِ ع رَجُلٌ مَاتَ وَ عَلَيْهِ زَكَاةٌ وَ أَوْصَى أَنْ تُقْضَى عَنْهُ الزَّكَاةُ وَ وُلْدُهُ مَحَاوِيجُ إِنْ دَفَعُوهَا أَضَرَّ بِهِمْ ذَلِكَ ضَرَراً شَدِيداً فَقَالَ يُخْرِجُونَهَا فَيَعُودُونَ بِهَا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ يُخْرِجُونَ مِنْهَا شَيْئاً فَيُدْفَعُ إِلَى غَيْرِهِمْ‌[1].

I said to Abu al-Hasan al-Awwal (Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as)) "A man died, and he had Zakat due on him. He instructed in his will that the Zakat be paid on his behalf, but his children are needy. Paying the Zakat would cause them severe hardship. What should they do?" The Imam (as) replied: "They should pay the

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَحِلُّ لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ الزَّكَاةَ وَ هُوَ لَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهَا فَيَتَصَدَّقَ بِهَا قَالَ نَعَمْ وَ قَالَ فِي الْفِطْرَةِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ.

Hadith.1642 - Isma'il ibn Jabir narrated: I said to Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) "Is it permissible for a man to take Zakat even though he does not need it, and then give it in charity?" Imam (as) replied: "Yes." Imam (as) also said the same regarding the Fitrah.

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا عَلَى الْإِمَامِ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ[2] فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا لِلْإِمَامِ يَضَعُهَا حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ وَ يَدْفَعُهَا إِلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ جَائِزٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ ذَلِكَ إِنَّ الْإِمَامَ لَا يَبِيتُ لَيْلَةً أَبَداً وَ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي عُنُقِهِ حَقٌّ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْهُ‌[3].

I asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) "What obligation does the Imam have concerning Zakat?" Imam (as) replied: "O Abu Muhammad, do you not know that the world belongs to the Imam? He places it wherever he wishes and gives it to whomever he wishes, and this is permissible for him by Allah (swt), th