The Excellence and Obligation of the Payment of Zakat

Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
A person with dishevelled hair, one of the people of Najd, came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. We heard the humming of his voice but could not fully understand what he was saying, till he approached close to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then I came to know that he was asking about Islam. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "There are five (obligatory) Salat during the day and the night." He said: "Am I obliged to perform any other (Salat) besides these?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "No, but whatever you observe voluntarily." He ﷺ added, "There is the Saum of Ramadan." The inquirer asked: "Am I obliged to do anything besides this?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "No, but whatever you do out of your own free will. You may observe voluntary fasting." And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told him about the Zakat (obligatory charity). The inquirer asked: "Am I obliged to pay anything besides this?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "No, but whatever you pay voluntarily out of your own free will." That man turned back saying: "By Allah! I will neither make any addition to this nor will I decrease anything from it." (Upon hearing this) the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remarked, "He is successful if he proves truthful (to what he is saying)."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن طلحة بن عبيد الله، رضي الله عنه قال: جاء رجل إلى رسول الله ﷺ، من أهل نجد، ثائر الرأس نسمع دوي صوته، ولا نفقه ما يقول، حتى دنا من رسول الله ﷺ فإذا هو يسأل عن الإسلام، فقال الرسول ﷺ : "خمس صلوات في اليوم والليلة" قال: هل علي غيرهن؟ قال: "لا، إلا أن تطوع" فقال رسول الله ﷺ : "وصيام شهر رمضان" قال هل على غيره؟ قال: "لا إلا أن تطوع" قال: وذكر له رسول الله ﷺ، الزكاه فقال: هل علي غيرها؟ قال: "لا، إلا أن تطوع" فأدبر الرجل وهو يقول: والله لا أزيد على هذا ولا أنقص منه، فقال رسول الله ﷺ : "أفلح إن صدق" ((متفق عليه)) .

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ appointed Mu'adh (May Allah be pleased with him) as governor of Yemen, and at the time of his departure, he instructed him thus: "First of all, call the people to testify 'La ilaha illallah' (there is no true god except Allah) and that I (Muhammad) am the Messenger of Allah, and if they accept this (declaration of Faith), then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five Salat during the day and night; and if they obey you, tell them that Allah has made the payment of Zakat obligatory upon them. It should be collected from their rich and distributed among their poor."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن ابن عباس رضي الله عنه، أن النبي ﷺ بعث معاذًا رضي الله عنه إلى اليمن فقال: "ادعهم إلى شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأني رسول الله، فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله تعالى افترض عليهم خمس صلوات في كل يوم وليلة، فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم صدقة تؤخذ من أغنيائهم، وترد على فقرائهم" ((متفق عليه)) .

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "I have been commanded to fight people till they testify 'La ilaha illallah' (there is no true god except Allah) that Muhammad ﷺ is his slave and Messenger, and they establish Salat, and pay Zakat; and if they do this, their blood (life) and property are secured except when justified by law, and it is for Allah to call them to account."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ : "أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يشهدوا أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدًا رسول الله، ويقيموا الصلاة، ويؤتوا الزكاة، فإذا فعلوا ذلك، عصموا مني دماءهم وأموالهم إلا بحق الإسلام وحسابهم على الله" ((متفق عليه))

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away, Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) was appointed as his successor (caliph). Amongst the Arabs some men apostatised. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) resolved to fight them. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) said to Abu Bakr: "How can you fight them when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has declared: 'I have been commanded to fight people till they testify La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah), and if they do it, their blood (life) and property are secured except when justified by law, and it is for Allah to call them to account." Upon this Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, I would definitely fight him who makes distinction between Salat and the Zakat, because it is an obligation upon the rich to pay Zakat. By Allah I will fight them even to secure the piece of rope which they used to give to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "I realized that Allah opened the heart of Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) for fighting those who refused to pay Zakat, and I fully recognized that Abu Bakr

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، قال: لما توفي رسول الله، وكان أبو بكر، رضي الله عنه، وكفر من كفر من العرب، فقال عمر رضي الله عنه: كيف يقاتل الناس وقد قال رسول الله ﷺ : "أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يقولوا لا إله إلا الله، فمن قالها، فقد عصم مني ماله ونفسه إلا بحقه وحسابه على الله" ؟! فقال أبو بكر: والله لأقاتلن من فرق بين الصلاة والزكاة، فإن الزكاة حق المال. والله لو منعوني عقال كانوا يؤدونه إلى رسول الله ﷺ، لقاتلتهم على منعه، قال: عمر رضي الله عنه: فوالله ما هو إلا أن رأيت الله قد شرح صدر أبي بكر للقتال، فعرفت أنه الحق. ((متفق عليه)) .

Abu Ayyub (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
A man said to the Prophet ﷺ: "Direct me to a deed which may admit me to Jannah." Upon this he (the Messenger of Allah ﷺ) said, "Worship Allah and never associate anything with Him in worship, establish Salat, pay Zakat, and strengthen the ties of kinship."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن أبي أيوب رضي الله عنه، أن رجلا قال للنبي ﷺ : أخبرني بعمل يدخلني الجنة قال: "تعبد الله لا تشرك به شيئًا، وتقيم الصلاة، وتؤتي الزكاة، وتصل الرحم" ((متفق عليه)) .

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
A bedouin came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Direct me to a deed by which I may be entitled to enter Jannah." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Worship Allah, and never associate anything with Him, establish Salat, pay the Zakat which has been enjoined upon you, and observe Saum of Ramadan." He (the bedouin) said: "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, I will never add anything to these (obligations)." When he turned his back, the Prophet ﷺ said, "He who wants to see a man from the dwellers of Jannah, let him look at him (bedouin)."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، أن أعرابيًا أتي النبي ﷺ فقال: يا رسول الله دلني على عمل إذا عملته، دخلت الجنة. قال: "تعبد الله ولا تشرك به شيئًا، وتقيم الصلاة، وتؤتي الزكاة المفروضة، وتصوم رمضان" قال: والذي نفسي بيده، لا أزيد على هذا. فلما ولى قال النبي ﷺ : "من سره أن ينظر إلى رجل من أهل الجنة فلينظر إلى هذا" ((متفق عليه)) .

Jarir bin 'Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to establish Salat, to pay the Zakat and to have the welfare of every Muslim at heart.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن جرير بن عبد الله، رضي الله عنه، قال: بايعت النبي، ﷺ، على إقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، والنصح لكل مسلم. ((متفق عليه)) .

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Any person who possesses gold or silver and does not pay what is due on it (i.e., the Zakat), on the Day of Resurrection, sheets of silver and gold would be heated for him in the fire of Hell and with them his flank, forehead and back will be branded. When they cool down, they will be heated again and the same process will be repeated during the day the measure whereof will be fifty thousand years. (This would go on) until Judgement is pronounced among (Allah's) slaves, and he will be shown his final abode, either to Jannah or to Hell." It was asked, "How about someone who owns camels and does not pay what is due on him (i.e., their Zakat)?" He ﷺ replied, "In the same way the owner of camels who does not discharge what is due in respect of them (their due includes their milking on the day when they are taken to water) will be thrown on his face or on his back in a vast desert plain on the Day of Resurrection and they will trample upon him with their hoofs and bite him with their teeth. As often as the first of them passes him, the last of them will be made to return during a day the measure whereof will be fifty thousand years, until Judgement is pronounced among (Allah's) slaves, he will be shown his final abode either to Jannah or to Hell." It was (again) asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what about cows (cattle) and sheep?" He ﷺ said, "If anyone who possesses cattle and sheep and does not pay what is due on them (i.e., their Zakat), on the Day of Resurrection, he will be thrown on his face in a vast plain desert. He will find none of the animals missing with twisted horns, without horns or with a broken horn, and they will gore him with their horns and trample upon him with their hoofs. As often as the first of them passes him, the last of them will be made to return to him during a day the measure whereof will be fifty thousand years, until Judgement is pronounced among (Allah's) slaves; and he will be shown his final abode either to Jannah or to Hell." It was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what about the horses?" Upon this he ﷺ said, "The horses are of three types. One, which is a burden for the owner; another which is a shield, and another one which makes its owner entitled to reward. The one for whom these are a burden is the person who rears them for show or for pride or for causing injury to the sentiments of the Muslims. They will be a cause of torment for their owners. The one for whom these are a shield is the person who rears them for the sake of Allah but does not forget the Right of Allah concerning their backs and their necks (i.e., he lets a needy ride on them), and so they are a shield for him. Those which bring reward to the one who rears them in pastures and gardens are the ones that are used in the Cause of Allah (Jihad) by the Muslims. Whatever they eat from the meadows and the gardens will be recorded on his behalf as good deeds so much so that their droppings and urine will be counted for an equal number of good deeds for him. Even when they break their tying rope and every height from which they climb and every hoofprint which they leave will be counted as a good deed on behalf of the owner. When their owner leads them through a stream from which they drink, though he does not intend to quench their thirst, yet Allah would record for him the quantity (of water) of what they would drink on his behalf as good deeds." It was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what about the donkeys?" Upon this he ﷺ said, "Nothing has been revealed to me in regard to the donkeys in particular except this one Verse of a comprehensive nature: "So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it."' (99: 8,9).

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ : "ما من صاحب ذهب، ولا فضة، لا يؤدي منها حقها إلا إذا كان يوم القيامة صفحت له صفائح من نار، فأحمي عليها في نار جهنم فيكوى بها جنبه، وجبينه، وظهره، كلما بردت أعيدت له في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة، حتى يقضى بين العباد فيرى سبيله، إما إلى الجنة، وإما إلى النار" قيل: يا رسول الله فالإبل؟ قال: "ولا صاحب إبل لا يؤدي منها حقها، ومن حقها حلبها يوم وردها، إلا إذ كان يوم القيامة بطح لها بقاع قرقر أوفر ما كانت، لا يفقد منها فصيلا واحدًا، تطؤه بأخفافها، وتعضه بأفواهها كلما مر عليه أُولاها، رد عليه أُخراها، في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة، حتى يقضى بين العباد، فيرى سبيله، إما إلى الجنة، وإما إلى النار" قيل: يا رسول الله فالبقر والغنم؟ قال: "ولا صاحب بقر ولا غنم لا يؤدي منها حقها إلا إذا كان يوم القيامة، بطح لها بقاع قرقر، لا يفقد منها شيئًا ليس فيها عقصاء، ولا جلحاء، ولا عضباء، تنطحه بقرونها، وتطؤه بأظلافها، كلما مر عليه أُولاها، رد عليه أُخراها، في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة حتى يقضى بين العباد، فيرى سبيله، إما إلى الجنة، وإما إلى النار" . قيل: يا رسول الله فالخيل؟ قال: "الخيل ثلاثة: هي لرجل وزر، وهي لرجل ستر، وهي لرجل أجر، فأما التي هي له وزر فرجل ربطها رياء وفخرًا ونواء على أهل الإسلام، فهي له وزر، وأما التي هي له ستر، فرجل ربطها في سبيل الله، ثم لم ينسَ حق الله في ظهورها، ولا رقابها فهي له ستر، وأما التي هي له أجر، فرجل ربطها في سبيل الله لأهل الإسلام في مرج، أو روضة، فما أكلت من ذلك المرج أو الروضة من شيء إلا كتب له عدد ما أكلت حسنات، وكتب له عدد أرواثها وأبوالها حسنات، ولا تقطع طولها فاستنت شرفًا أو شرفين إلا كتب الله له عدد آثارها، وأرواثها حسنات، ولا مر بها صاحبها على نهر فشربت منه، ولا يريد أن يسقيها إلا كتب الله له عدد ما شربت حسنات" والإيتار قبل النوم إنما يستحب لمن لا يثق باستيقاظ آخر الليل، فإن وثق فآخر الليل أفضل.