A man called the Messenger of Allah (saws): We used to sacrifice Atirah in pre-Islamic days during Rajab; so what do you command us? He said: Sacrifice for the sake of Allah in any month whatever; obey Allah, Most High, and feed(the people). He said: We used to sacrifice a Fara' in pre-Islamic days, so what do you command us? He said: On every pasturing animal there is a Fara' which is fed by your cattle till it becomes strong and capable of carrying load.

The narrator Nasr said (in his version): When it becomes capable of carrying load of the pilgrims, you may slaughter it and give its meat as charity (sadaqah).

The narrator Khalid's version says: You (may give it) to the travellers, for it is better. Khalid said: I asked AbuQilabah: How many pasturing animals? He replied: One hundred.

On `Id ul Fitr or `Id ul Adha Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) went out to the Musalla. After finishing the prayer, he delivered the sermon and ordered the people to give alms. He said, "O people! Give alms." Then he went towards the women and said. "O women! Give alms, for I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-Fire were you (women)." The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is the reason for it?" He replied, "O women! You curse frequently, and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. O women, some of you can lead a cautious wise man astray." Then he left. And when he reached his house, Zainab, the wife of Ibn Mas`ud, came and asked permission to enter It was said, "O Allah's Apostle! It is Zainab." He asked, 'Which Zainab?" The reply was that she was the wife of Ibn Mas'ub. He said, "Yes, allow her to enter." And she was admitted. Then she said, "O Prophet of Allah! Today you ordered people to give alms and I had an ornament and intended to give it as alms, but Ibn Mas`ud said that he and his children deserved it more than anybody else." The Prophet replied, "Ibn Mas`ud had spoken the truth. Your husband and your children had more right to it than anybody else."

When Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) sent Mu`adh to Yemen, he said (to him), "YOU are going to people of a (Divine) Book. First of all invite them to worship Allah (alone) and when they come to know Allah, inform them that Allah has enjoined on them, five prayers in every day and night; and if they start offering these prayers, inform them that Allah has enjoined on them, the Zakat. And it is to be taken from the rich amongst them and given to the poor amongst them; and if they obey you in that, take Zakat from them and avoid (don't take) the best property of the people as Zakat."

Maliksaid, "Payment of all types of kaffara, of zakat al-fitr and of the zakat on grains for which a tenth or a twentieth is due, is made using the smaller mudd, which is the mudd of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, except in the case of dhihar divorce, when the kaffara is paid using the mudd of Hisham, which is the larger mudd."

Yahya related to me from Malik from a reliable source from Sulayman ibn Yasar and from Busr ibn Said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "On land that is watered by rain or springs or any natural means there is (zakat to pay of) a tenth. On irrigated land there is (zakat of) a twentieth (to pay)."

The Prophet said, "On a land irrigated by rain water or by natural water channels or if the land is wet due to a near by water channel Ushr (i.e. one-tenth) is compulsory (as Zakat); and on the land irrigated by the well, half of an Ushr (i.e. one-twentieth) is compulsory (as Zakat on the yield of the land)."

The Prophet said, "In very hot weather delay the Zuhr prayer till it becomes (a bit) cooler because the severity of heat is from the raging of the Hell-fire. The Hell-fire of Hell complained to its Lord saying: O Lord! My parts are eating (destroying) one another. So Allah allowed it to take two breaths, one in the winter and the other in the summer. The breath in the summer is at the time when you feel the severest heat and the breath in the winter is at the time when you feel the severest cold."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) wrote a letter about sadaqah (zakat) but he died before he could send it to his governors. He had kept it with his sword. So AbuBakr acted upon it till he died, and then Umar acted upon it till he died.

It contained: "For five camels one goat is to be given; for ten camels two goats are to be given; for fifteen camels three goats are to be given; for twenty camels four goats are to be given; for twenty-five to thirty-five camels a she-camel in her second year is to be given. If the number exceeds by one up to seventy camels, a she-camel in her fourth year is to be given; if they exceed by one up to seventy-five camels, a she-camel in her fifth year is to be given; if they exceed by one up to ninety camels, two she-camels in their third year are to be given; if they exceed by one up to one hundred and twenty, two she-camels in their fourth year are to be given. If the camels are more than this, a she-camel in her fourth year is to be given for every fifty camels, and a she-camel in her third year is to be given for every forty camels.

For forty to one hundred and twenty goats one goat is to be given; if they exceed by one up to two hundred, two goats are to be given. If they exceed by one up to three hundred, three goats are to be given; if the goats are more than this, one goat for every hundred goats is to be given. Nothing is payable until they reach one hundred. Those which are in one flock are not to be separated, and those which are in separate flocks are not be brought together from fear of sadaqah (zakat). Regarding that which belongs to two partners, they can make claims for restitution from each other with equity. An old goat and a defective one are not to be accepted as sadaqah (zakat)."

Az-Zuhri said: When the collector comes, the goats will be apportioned into three flocks: one containing bad, the second good, and the third moderate. The collector will take zakat from the moderate. Az-Zuhri did not mention the cows (to be apportioned in three flocks).

Once I gave a horse in Allah's Cause (in charity) but that person did not take care of it. I intended to buy it, as I thought he would sell it at a low price. So, I asked the Prophet (p.b.u.h) about it. He said, "Neither buy, nor take back your alms which you have given, even if the seller were willing to sell it for one Dirham, for he who takes back his alms is like the one who swallows his own vomit."

Allah's Apostle said, "The best alms is that which you give when you are rich, and you should start first to support your dependants."

The collector used to visit the water-hole when the sheep went there and say: Pay the sadaqah (zakat) on your property. The narrator said: A man wanted to give him his high-humped camel (kawma'). The narrator (Hilal) asked: What is kawma', AbuSalih? He said: A camel a high hump.

The narrator continued: He (the collector) refused to accept it. He said: I wish you could take the best of my camels. He refused to accept it. He then brought another camel lower in quality than the previous one. He refused to accept it too. He then brought another camel lower in quality than the previous one. He accepted it, saying: I shall take it, but I am afraid the Messenger of Allah (saws) might be angry with me, saying to me: You have purposely taken from a man a camel of your choice.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Hushaim from Hilal bin Khabbab to the same effect. But he said: Those which are in one flock are not to be separated.

When this verse was revealed: "And those who hoard gold and silver," the Muslims were grieved about it. Umar said: I shall dispel your care. He, therefore, went and said: Prophet of Allah, your Companions were grieved by this verse. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Allah has made zakat obligatory simply to purify your remaining property, and He made inheritances obligatory that they might come to those who survive you. Umar then said: Allah is most great. He then said to him: Let me inform you about the best a man hoards; it is a virtuous woman who pleases him when he looks at her, obeys him when he gives her a command, and guards his interests when he is away from her.

"The Prophet said, 'The best alms is that which is given when one is rich, and a giving hand is better than a taking one, and you should start first to support your dependents.' A wife says, 'You should either provide me with food or divorce me.' A slave says, 'Give me food and enjoy my service." A son says, "Give me food; to whom do you leave me?" The people said, "O Abu Huraira! Did you hear that from Allah's Apostle ?" He said, "No, it is from my own self."

While I was sitting with Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) two person came to him; one of them complained about his poverty and the other complained about the prevalence of robberies. Allah's Apostle said, "As regards stealing and robberies, there will shortly come a time when a caravan will go to Mecca (from Medina) without any guard. And regarding poverty, The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till one of you wanders about with his object of charity and will not find anybody to accept it And (no doubt) each one of you will stand in front of Allah and there will be neither a curtain nor an interpreter between him and Allah, and Allah will ask him, 'Did not I give you wealth?' He will reply in the affirmative. Allah will further ask, 'Didn't send a messenger to you?' And again that person will reply in the affirmative Then he will look to his right and he will see nothing but Hell-fire, and then he will look to his left and will see nothing but Hell-fire. And so, any (each one) of you should save himself from the fire even by giving half of a date-fruit (in charity). And if you do not find a hall datefruit, then (you can do it through saying) a good pleasant word (to your brethren). (See Hadith No. 793 Vol. 4).

The Prophet said, "There is no Zakat either on a slave or on a horse belonging to a Muslim."

Abu Dawud said: I read in a document possessed by Abdullah ibn Salim at Hims: Abdullah ibn Mu'awiyah al-Ghadiri reported the Prophet (saws) as saying: He who performs three things will have the taste of the faith. (They are:) One who worships Allah alone and one believes that there is no god but Allah; and one who pays the zakat on his property agreeably every year. One should not give an aged animal, nor one suffering from itch or ailing, and one most condemned, but one should give animals of medium quality, for Allah did not demand from you the best of your animals, nor did He command you to give the animals of worst quality.

I took a letter from Thumamah bin ‘Abd Allah bin Anas. He presumed that Abu Bakr had written it for Anas when he sent him (to Al Bahrain) as a collector of zakat. This (letter) was stamped with the stamp of the Messenger of Allah(saws) and was written by Abu Bakr for him(Anas). This letter goes “This is the obligatory sadaqah(zakat) which the Messenger of Allah(saws) imposed on Muslims which Allah commanded his Prophet(saws) to impose. Those Muslims who are asked for the proper amount must give it, but those who are asked for more than that must not give it. For less than twenty five Camels a goat is to be given for every five Camels. When they reach twenty five to thirty five, a she Camel in her second year is to be given. If there is no she Camel in her second year, a male Camel in its third year is to be given. When they reach thirty six to forty five, a she Camel in her third year is to be given. When they reach forty six to sixty , a she Camel in her fourth year which is ready to be covered by a stallion is to be given. When they reach sixty one to seventy five, a she Camel in her fifth year is to be given. When they reach seventy six to ninety, two she Camel in their third year are to be given. When they reach ninety one to a hundred and twenty, two she Camels in their fourth year are ready to be covered by a stallion are to be given. When they exceed a hundred and twenty, a she Camel in her third year is to be given for every forty and a she Camel in her fourth year for every fifty(Camels). In case the ages of the Camel vary in the payment of obligatory sadaqah(zakat) If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her fifth year is payable does not possess one but possess one in her fourth year, that will be accepted from him along with two goats if he can conveniently give them, or else twenty dirhams. If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her fourth year is payable does not possess but possesses one in her fifth year, that will be accepted from him, and the collector must give him twenty dirhams or two goats. If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her fourth year is payable possesses only one in her third year, that will be accepted from him.”

Abu Dawud said From here I could not retain accurately from Musa as I liked “And he must give along with it two goats if he can conveniently give them, or else twenty dirhams. If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her third year is payable possesses only one in her fourth year, that will be accepted from him.”

Abu Dawud said (I was doubtful) up to here, and retained correctly onward “and the collector must give him twenty dirhams or two goats. If anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her third year is payable does not possess one but possesses one in her second year, that will be accepted from him, but he must give two goats or twenty dirhams. Anyone whose Camels reach the number on which a she Camel in her second year is payable does not possess one but possesses a male Camel in its third year, that will be accepted from him, and nothing extra will be demanded along with it. If anyone possesses only four Camels, no zakat will be payable on them unless their owner wishes. If the numbers of the pasturing goats reach forty to one hundred and twenty, one goat is to be given. Over one hundred and twenty up to two hundred, two goats are to be given. If they exceed two hundred reaching three hundred, three goats are to be given. If they exceed three hundred, a goat is to be for every hundred. An old sheep, one with a defect in the eye, or a male goat is not to be accepted as sadaqah (zakat) unless the collector wishes. Those which are in separate flocks are not to be brought together and those which are in one flock are not to be separated from fear of sadaqah(zakat). Regarding what belongs to two partners, they can make claims for restitution from one another with equity, If a man’s pasturing animals are less than forty, no sadaqah(zakat) is due on them unless their owner wishes. On sliver dirhams a fortieth is payable, but if there are only a hundred and ninety, nothing is payable unless their owner wishes.”

The Messenger of Allah (saws) prescribed the sadaqah (alms) relating to the breaking of the fast as a purification of the fasting from empty and obscene talk and as food for the poor. If anyone pays it before the prayer (of 'Id), it will be accepted as zakat. If anyone pays it after the prayer, that will be a sadaqah like other sadaqahs (alms).

Allah's Apostle said, "There is no Zakat either on a horse or a slave belonging to a Muslim."

I gave the pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle for the following:

1. offer prayers perfectly

2. pay the Zakat (obligatory charity)

3. and be sincere and true to every Muslim.

"In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the ompassionate."

The Book of Zakat.

On twenty-four camels or less zakat is paid with sheep, one ewe for every five camels.

On anything above that, up to thirty-five camels, a she-camel in its second year, and, if there is no she camel in its second year, a male camel in its third year.

On anything above that, up to forty-five camels, a she- camel in its third year.

On anything above that, up to sixty camels, a she camel in its fourth year that is ready to be sired.

On anything above that, up to seventy-five camels, a she-camel in its fifth year.

On anything above that, up to ninety camels, two she-camels in their third year.

On anything above that, up to one hundred and twenty camels, two she-camels in their fourth year that are ready to be sired.

On any number of camels above that, for every forty camels, a she-camel in its third year, and for every fifty, a she-camel in its fourth year.

On grazing sheep and goats, if they come to forty or more, up to one hundred and twenty head, one ewe.

On anything above that, up to two hundred head, two ewes.

On anything above that, up to three hundred, three ewes.

On anything above that, for every hundred, one ewe.

A ram should not be taken for zakat. nor an old or an injured ewe, except as the zakat-collector thinks fit.

Those separated should not be gathered together nor should those gathered together be separated in order to avoid paying zakat.

Whatever belongs to two associates is settled between them proportionately.

On silver, if it reaches five awaq (two hundred dirhams), one fortieth is paid."

When the deputation of Thaqif came to the Messenger of Allah (saws), he made them stay in the mosque, so that it might soften their hearts. They stipulated to him that they would not be called to participate in Jihad, to pay zakat and to offer prayer. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: You may have the concession that you will not be called to participate in jihad and pay zakat, but there is no good in a religion which has no bowing (i.e. prayer).

Al-Abbas asked the Prophet (saws) about paying the sadaqah (his zakat) in advance before it became due, and he gave permission to do that.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been transmitted by Hushaim through a different chain of narrators. The version of Hushaim is more sound.

The Prophet (saws) used to send Abdullah ibn Rawahah (to Khaybar), and he would assess the amount of dates when they began to ripen before they were eaten (by the Jews). He would then give choice to the Jews that they have them (on their possession) by that assessment or could assign to them (Muslims) by that assignment, so that the (amount of) zakat could be calculated before the fruit became eatable and distributed (among the people).

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Sulayman ibn Yasar that the people of Syria said to Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, "Take zakat from our horses and slaves," and he refused. Then he wrote to Umar ibn al-Khattab and he (also) refused. Again they talked to him and again he wrote to Umar, and Umar wrote back to him saying, "If they want, take it from them and (then) give it back to them and give their slaves provision."

Malik said, "What he means, may Allah have mercy upon him, by the words 'and give it back to them' is, 'to their poor.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ayyub ibn Abi Tamima as- Sakhtayani that Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, when writing about wealth that one of his governors had collected unjustly, ordered it to be returned to its owner and zakat to be taken from it for the years that had passed. Then shortly afterwards he revised his order with a message that zakat should only be taken from it once, since it was not wealth in hand.

I have not ceased to like Banu Tamim ever since I heard of three qualities attributed to them by Allah's Apostle (He said): They, out of all my followers, will be the strongest opponent of Ad-Dajjal; `Aisha had a slave-girl from them, and the Prophet told her to manumit her as she was from the descendants of (the Prophet) Ishmael; and, when their Zakat was brought, the Prophet said, "This is the Zakat of my people."

The Prophet delivered to us a sermon on the Day of Nahr. He said, "Do you know what is the day today?" We said, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He remained silent till we thought that he might give that day another name. He said, "Isn't it the Day of Nahr?" We said, "It is." He further asked, "Which month is this?" We said, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He remained silent till we thought that he might give it another name. He then said, "Isn't it the month of Dhul-Hijja?" We replied: "Yes! It is." He further asked, "What town is this?" We replied, "Allah and His Apostle know it better." He remained silent till we thought that he might give it another name. He then said, "Isn't it the forbidden (Sacred) town (of Mecca)?" We said, "Yes. It is." He said, "No doubt, your blood and your properties are sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this town of yours, till the day you meet your Lord. No doubt! Haven't I conveyed Allah's message to you? They said, "Yes." He said, "O Allah! Be witness. So it is incumbent upon those who are present to convey it (this information) to those who are absent because the informed one might comprehend it (what I have said) better than the present audience, who will convey it to him. Beware! Do not renegade (as) disbelievers after me by striking the necks (cutting the throats) of one another."

Allah's Apostle appointed a man called Ibn Al-Lutabiyya to collect the Zakat from Bani Sulaim's tribe. When he returned, the Prophet called him to account. He said (to the Prophet, 'This is your money, and this has been given to me as a gift." On that, Allah's Apostle said, "Why didn't you stay in your father's and mother's house to see whether you will be given gifts or not if you are telling the truth?" Then the Prophet addressed us, and after praising and glorifying Allah, he said: "Amma Ba'du", I employ a man from among you to manage some affair of what Allah has put under my custody, and then he comes to me and says, 'This is your money and this has been given to me as a gift. Why didn't he stay in his father's and mother's home to see whether he will be given gifts or not? By Allah, not anyone of you takes a thing unlawfully but he will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection, carrying that thing. I do not want to see any of you carrying a grunting camel or a mooing cow or a bleating sheep on meeting Allah." Then the Prophet raised both his hands till the whiteness of his armpits became visible, and he said, "O Allah! Haven't I have conveyed (Your Message)?" The narrator added: My eyes witnessed and my ears heard (that Hadith).

Once I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have no property except what has been given to me by Az-Zubair (i.e. her husband). May I give in charity?" The Prophet said, "Give in charity and do not withhold it; otherwise Allah will withhold it back from you . "

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "The best charity is that which is practiced by a wealthy person. And start giving first to your dependents."

The Prophet ordered the people to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr before going to the `Id prayer.

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever is made wealthy by Allah and does not pay the Zakat of his wealth, then on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made like a baldheaded poisonous male snake with two black spots over the eyes. The snake will encircle his neck and bite his cheeks and say, 'I am your wealth, I am your treasure.' " Then the Prophet recited the holy verses:-- 'Let not those who withhold . . .' (to the end of the verse). (3.180).

I heard Ka`b bin Malik talking about the Verse:-- 'And to the three (He also forgave) who remained behind.' (9.118) saying in the last portion of his talk, "(I said), 'As a part (sign) of my repentance, I would like to give up all my property in the cause of Allah and His Apostle,' The Prophet said to me, 'Keep some of your wealth as it is good for you." (To the three (He also forgave) who remained behind till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened..." (9.118)

Once the Prophet said (to me), "If the money of Bahrain comes, I will give you a certain amount of it." The Prophet had breathed his last before the money of Bahrain arrived. When the money of Bahrain reached, Abu Bakr announced, "Whoever was promised by the Prophet should come to us." I went to Abu Bakr and said, "The Prophet promised me so and so." Abu Bakr gave me a handful of coins and when I counted them, they were five-hundred in number. Abu Bakr then said, "Take twice the amount you have taken (besides).

When the Prophet died and Abu Bakr became his successor and some of the Arabs reverted to disbelief, `Umar said, "O Abu Bakr! How can you fight these people although Allah's Apostle said, 'I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, 'and whoever said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah', Allah will save his property and his life from me, unless (he does something for which he receives legal punishment) justly, and his account will be with Allah?' "Abu Bakr said, "By Allah! I will fight whoever differentiates between prayers and Zakat as Zakat is the right to be taken from property (according to Allah's Orders). By Allah! If they refused to pay me even a kid they used to pay to Allah's Apostle, I would fight with them for withholding it." `Umar said, "By Allah: It was nothing, but I noticed that Allah opened Abu Bakr's chest towards the decision to fight, therefore I realized that his decision was right."