n37 33 Major Sins Series - Not Paying Zakat

Major Sins Series - Not Paying Zakat

Speaker: Abu Usamah

Opening

I seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our souls and from the badness of our deeds. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and there is no partner for Him. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

Introduction: The Fifth Major Sin

The fifth kabira (major sin) from the major sins that the people fall into, number five, is a person preventing giving the zakat of Al-Islam. Man'u az-Zakat - preventing oneself from giving the zakat is a kabira from the kabair (major sins) in Al-Islam.

As it relates to the issue of the zakat in this chapter, the zakat that he's talking about here, obviously is the rukn (pillar) from the arkan (pillars) of Al-Islam. And he's not talking about the regular general sadaqah (charity).

Every zakat is sadaqah, but not every sadaqah is zakat.

So this chapter is talking about the zakat which is a rukn from the arkan of Al-Islam - the pillar, from the pillars of Al-Islam. And the zakat, Ikhwani (my brothers), is more important in this darajah (level) than the Hajj is. And it's more important than the darajah of fasting.

Salat is always mentioned with zakat in the Quran.

The Meaning of Zakat

Linguistic Meaning

Zakat in the language of the Arabs, it means ziyadah (increase), namu (growth). It means to grow something.

So contrary to what many people believe - people who love money, people who love the dunya - they think that when you give money and you pay your zakat and your money leaves you, people believe that their money is decreased. Even though the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told us, whether it is the zakat or the sadaqah:

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2029)

Translation: "No one's money was ever depleted or made to be deficient as a result of giving sadaqah."

As a result of giving sadaqah or paying the zakat, a person's money is increased. So zakat to the Arabs in the language, it means namu (growth), ziyadah (increase), to grow.

The Arabs say zakah az-zara - the plants, the crops grow. And they use that word zakah. It also means a purification.

In the Quran and Sunnah

In the Quran and the sunnah, we get that understanding that zakat means linguistically to purify. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala described Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) and he described and explained some of the functions, some of the responsibilities that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had when he came to us. He said about him in the Quran:

Translation: "It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom - although they were before in clear error."

Those people couldn't read or write. The ummiyoon, they were illiterate. He sent to them a Rasul from amongst themselves. He was a human being and he was Arab, and he was unlettered just as they were.

And what was his job? He taught them the book : وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ

So Ikhwani, Allah used the word that zakat comes from to show that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was a purifier. Everything that he ordered us to do is a purification for you.

Everything that he made haram and warned us to stay away from, is a purification for you if you stay away from it. And everything that you fall into that's haram, or you don't do what he ordered you to do, you become dirty and you bring upon yourself the filth of the dhunoob (sins) and ma'asi (disobedience).

Examples of Purification

• To leave the beard is a purification
• To not be musbil (let your garment hang below the ankles), and to wear something - whatever it is, pants, a thobe, izar, whatever - below your ankle bones, is a purification

• One prayer to the next prayer, one Jumu'ah to the next Jumu'ah, one Ramadan to the next Ramadan, is a purification for you
• When a person makes wudu, the sins of his hands, his arms, his mouth, his nose, his head, his feet - they fall off of him as a result of making the wudu

So everything that the Prophet ordered us to do, no matter how big, no matter how small, if you do it, it is a zakat for you, it is a purification for you. And everything that he told us not to do, if you fall into it, it is something that's going to make you dirty.

Translation: "No, rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning."

No, instead, it is a dirt, it is a black thing that goes on their heart. As a result of what they used to do. So anytime a human being falls into the dhunoob and the ma'asi, he gets a black spot on his heart, and that's the dalil.

If you fall into what is haram, you become dirty. If you do any aspect of the sunnah of Al-Islam, you become purified, you become clean. So the meaning of zakat from the Quran and the sunnah and the language of the Arabs is that the zakat means to grow and it also means to purify.

Translation: "Take, [O Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allah's blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them."

Allah told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Take from their monies a sadaqah, so that you can clean them and purify them. And make salawat (prayer) upon them, O Muhammad. For verily your salawat upon them is a sakinah (tranquility) for them. It is something that will make them tranquil.

So that's the meaning of zakat in the language of the Arabs.

What This Chapter is About

And that's the zakat that Al-Imam Ad-Dahabi is talking about in this particular chapter. He's not talking about the Zakat al-Fitr, even though it is wajib (obligatory). It is the zakat that the person pays with rice or dates or other than that, after his fast of Ramadan to purify his fast of Ramadan. Whoever doesn't pay it, then he didn't complete the total fast of Ramadan because the Zakat al-Fitr is a part of that.

This is not what Al-Imam Ad-Dahabi is talking about. He's talking about the zakat of our money.

Hadith from Al-Imam At-Tabarani

Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) - Jabir and his father Abdullah were both companions - he narrated an authentic hadith that's been collected by Al-Imam At-Tabarani (may Allah have mercy on him).

About Al-Imam At-Tabarani

For you students of knowledge, Al-Imam At-Tabarani is a scholar of Islam, a scholar of hadith that you should know about. He has three books of Al-Hadith. Al-Imam At-Tabarani - and not At-Tabari - At-Tabarani.

And I'm going to come back to ask you this because in his books of hadith are hadith that you can't find anywhere else in the dunya except in his book. So the student of knowledge can't do without the books of Al-Imam At-Tabarani.

He has three books of hadith:

1. Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabeer (The Large Dictionary)
2. Al-Mu'jam As-Sagheer (The Small Dictionary)
3. Al-Mu'jam Al-Awsat (The Middle Dictionary)

The big Mu'jam, the little Mu'jam, and the middle Mu'jam. Each one has its own particular minhaj (methodology) of what he was trying to do. I'm going to come back and I'm going to ask you that question.

Question: Al-Imam At-Tabarani, what's the name of his three books?

Answer: Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabeer, As-Sagheer, and Al-Awsat. The big, the small, and the middle.

The Hadith of Jabir

Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was approached by a man, and the man said:

Translation: "O Messenger of Allah, if a man were to give the zakat money, he paid his zakat, what's going to happen? What's the situation? What happens if a man pays the zakat that he is supposed to pay?"

The Prophet said (peace and blessings be upon him):

(Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabeer by At-Tabarani)

Translation: "Whoever pays the zakat of his money that he owes, the paying of that zakat will take away the evil of that money."

So all of the money that you have in your pocket, or that you have saved up, or the property that we have, all of it is dirty until a person purifies it. He purifies it as a result of:

• The way he gets it
• Being thankful when he gets it, thanking Allah
• Also he has to purify it by giving sadaqah and giving zakat with that money that he has received

So that hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), it also goes to show that zakat in the language of the Arabs means purification. When you give the zakat of your money, it purifies the money that is left with you.

The Neglect of Zakat Knowledge

Zakat, Ikhwani, is a rukn from the arkan of Al-Islam, and it is a bab (chapter) of knowledge that we have neglected as an ummah. The vast majority of Muslims do not have the slightest idea who pays the zakat.

There are people from amongst us who actually think you have to have 10,000 pounds in order to pay or to be responsible for paying the zakat. And a person never pays because he says, "I don't have enough money to pay. I'm on public assistance, so I don't have to pay the zakat."

But in fact, he has enough money where he should be paying the zakat. We don't study about this issue of zakat:

• What should be paid?
• How it should be paid?
• When it should be paid?
• Who are the eight people that it should be paid to?

It is a bab of fiqh that wallahi, the ummah of Al-Islam, we have neglected it.

Comparison with Inheritance Laws

Just like the faraid (inheritance laws). In the past, it was common practice for the Salaf to teach the little children to memorize the ahkam (rulings) of the mirath (inheritance). These are sciences that today, if you call the people to come in order to learn this science, you'll get three or four people who attend.

And they'll say, "That knowledge is boring. That knowledge is boring." Even though it is a knowledge with which the religion and the huquq (rights) of the ibad (servants) are protected.

So today insha'Allah, what I was going to do originally was to start to combine two or three of the kabair. But this is a chapter that we want to deal with exclusively by itself - the bab of not paying the zakat.

Money is the Fitna of This Ummah

The Prophet told us in an authentic hadith:

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi)

"Every ummah has a fitna (trial/tribulation). And the fitna of my ummah is money."

The people have the deen that is the truth. But as a result of the fitna of the money, a lot of times, a lot of problems we see taking place in the ummah of Islam. Everyone knows that Allah has created us for His worship, and His worship alone. And He hasn't created us in order to collect money.

Examples from Our Community

If we look in our community, in our community Ikhwani, to show you the fitna of the dunya, there are those from amongst us who we have:

• Telephones, landlines in our homes
• The father has two mobile phones, or three. Some of us have three mobile phones
• The wife has two mobile phones
• The child has a mobile phone
• And the one who's younger than that has a mobile phone

With all of those mobiles, for an example, the person has to ask himself: Are these issues from what I really need in order to get on with my life? It's the fitna of the dunya. The keeping up with what Fulan (so-and-so) and Alan (someone else) purchased:

• The latest car, the latest model
• The regular TV that I have is not enough. I have to get one of the special plasma, big screen TVs - even though it does not bring me closer to Allah, nor does it give me a better picture in reality. Whatever I watch on a no-good TV, I can watch it on the plasma

But that's how it is, the fitna of the dunya.

The Prophet's Warning About the Dunya

That the Prophet said about him (peace and blessings be upon him):

(Sahih Muslim)

"Verily the dunya is like a beautiful green pasture. But in that green pasture, there is defecation here, defecation there. There's a hole over here, a hole over there. It's not really what it appears to be. And verily Allah put you people in this dunya so that He can see how you'll behave. So fear the dunya and fear the nisaa (women). Because the first fitna of Bani Israel was in the women and with the women."

So the fact that he connected the women along with the dunya is an ayah (sign) for the uqalah (intelligent people). A man has a wife who insists, "I want the latest model in this, the latest model in that. It's not enough to have two pairs of shoes, I have to have 12, 13, 15 pairs of shoes. I have to have this and I have to have that."

The fitna of the dunya and the fitna of the nisaa.

It has taken over our ummah. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Ikhwani, went through great lengths in order to tell us, to warn us, to explain to us the reality of the dunya. Don't be a person who doesn't give his money because he's afraid of being impoverished. The dunya is a fitna.

The Reality of Wealth and the Akhirah

He says (peace and blessings be upon him), a tremendous hadith, given the reality of the dunya and the reality of the people:

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi; Sunan Ibn Majah)

"Whoever the akhirah (Hereafter) is the most important thing to him - he keeps that in his mind. So he prays, he gives zakah, he pays sadaqah, he's patient, he watches what he says, he gets good friends, he tries to come to the masjid, he makes halal halal, haram haram, she wears the hijab, he leaves the lihya (beard), and on and on and on - because the akhirah is the most important thing for him. Whoever this is his case, Allah will put riches in his heart, contentment in his heart. Whatever his situation is, he'll be content. And Allah will bring together for him his affairs.

His children are memorizers of Quran, he'll have children who are well behaved, he'll have children who excel in their school, he'll have a situation in his family life where people are together, he has a functional relationship with all the members of his family, with his community. Allah will bring together for him his affairs, and the dunya will come to him despite itself. The dunya, you'll find it coming to him despite the dunya.

And whoever made the dunya the most important thing to him, Allah will put his poverty before his very eyes. And Allah will make his affairs scattered and in disarray. And nothing will come to him from the dunya except what has been decreed upon him."

So, with that being the case, we should make a nice effort in trying to accumulate from the dunya what is there to be accumulated. Because the dunya is a fitna.

Evidence from the Quran

Al-Imam Ad-Dahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, in showing that leaving off paying the zakat is a kabira from the kabair, the statement of Allah Ta'ala in the Quran:

"And woe to those who associate others with Allah - those who do not give zakah, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers."

Ikhwani, some of you have read that (وَيْلٌ - wayl), whenever Allah uses the word (وَيْلٌ - wayl) in the Quran - (وَيْلٌ لِلْمُطَفِّفِينَ - Woe to those who give less [than due]). You've read that (wayl) is a valley in the hellfire. And in it is molten brass, and in it is this, and in it is that.

There's no authentic hadith that would prove that and support that. You can just translate it as being woe unto them. They are in trouble, the mushrikeen (polytheists). Those people who do not give the zakat, and they do not believe in the hereafter. They are kufar (disbelievers).

Second Quranic Evidence

And then Allah Ta'ala mentioned a description of the ahbar (monks), those monks and priests from the Yahud (Jews) and the Nasara (Christians). And he said, proving the point that leaving off the zakat is a kabira from the kabair:

"O you who have believed, indeed many of the scholars and the monks devour the wealth of people unjustly and avert [them] from the way of Allah. And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah - give them tidings of a painful punishment. The Day when it will be heated in the fire of Hell and

seared therewith will be their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, [it will be said], 'This is what you hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you used to hoard.'"

He said that the monks and the priests from the Yahud and the Nasara - they are those people who they hoard up their gold and their silver and they don't spend it in the cause of Allah Ta'ala. And you should give them the glad tidings of a severe punishment.

On the day, Yawm al-Qiyamah, they will be branded with what they held behind. Their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs. So give them the bushra (glad tidings) of a grievous penalty.

Even though this ayah was revealed describing the monks from the Jews and the Christians, nonetheless, the benefit of it is that it applies to everyone who falls into that category. So those are the two dalils from the Quran that Al-Imam Ad-Dahabi brought (may Allah have mercy on him).

The Salat and Zakat are Connected

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud's Statement

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), Ikhwani, he said, when he looked at the Quran, he found that Allah many times mentioned the salat and he mentioned the zakat in so many ayat. He would mention the salat and the zakat together, showing the importance of both of them, and showing how they both cannot and should not be separated.

Like the statement of Allah Ta'ala:

"And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]."

Just in Surah Al-Baqarah, too many ayat. Establish the salat, and give the zakat, and make ruku (bow down) with those who bow down.

"And establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan."

Make the salat and give the zakat, and loan unto Allah a good loan.

Translation: "But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion."

The Quran mentions the salat and the zakat so many times. If those kufar make tawbah and they become Muslims, and they establish the salat, and they give the zakat, then they are your brothers in the deen.

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud's Opinion

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said:

"You people have been ordered to make the salat and to give the zakat. Whoever doesn't give the zakat, then in fact he has no salat."

So he was of the opinion that if a person prayed, but he didn't give the zakat and he wasn't a muzakki (one who gives zakat), then his salat was rendered null and void. And that is a position and an opinion of some of the ulama of Al-Islam.

Hadith Evidence

Al-Imam Ad-Dahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) now goes into the ahadith of Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) to prove not giving the zakat is a kabira from the kabair. A number of authentic hadith he brought.

Hadith About Animals and Money

Like the hadith that the Prophet says (peace and blessings be upon him):

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

"There is not a human being, a Muslim, who he is the owner of gold, silver, or a camel or a cow or a sheep, and he doesn't give the zakat for his camel or his sheep or his cows. He holds them back and he doesn't pay the zakat with those products, with those animals, except that on Yawm al-Qiyamah they will be thrown in his face. And they will come on Yawm al-Qiyamah and they will trample over him with their hooves and they're going to stick him with their horns.

Every time one of them goes over him with his horn and his hoof, he's going to go and he'll go back and he'll get in line until he'll continuously be in that situation until Allah Ta'ala judges between the people on that day which will be like 50,000 years."

The Snake Punishment

And the individual who has money, gold, silver, dollars, paper money, pounds, and he doesn't give the zakat,

Rasulullah said in the same hadith (peace and blessings be upon him) that money will be made to come as a

snake that has two big lumps on his head or two big lumps on his tail. And he has the ability to stand up on his

tail and is going to strike him and bite him and that will be his reward for not giving the zakat.

The man will be frightened and terrorized and he'll ask the snake, "Who are you? What are you?" He's going to

say, "I'm what you held behind and you didn't give and you didn't pay the zakat on."

So those people who don't give the zakat, it is a serious issue in Al-Islam.

Why This is a Major Sin

So Al-Imam Ad-Dahabi clearly he made this a Kabira from the Kabair because of the description. We

mentioned before, you know that a sin is a Kabira from the Kabair because:

1. Allah or His Messenger said it

2. Because of the description - something like this taking place, it wouldn't happen with a small sin or a

small crime. Allah would not put someone through this type of terror and pain for a small sin or a small

crime. And He is Al-Lateef and He is Ar-Rahman and He is Al-Ghafoor

3. If it has a Hadd (prescribed punishment) from the Hudud of Al-Islam. If you get your hand chopped off,

then that thing is a Kabira. If you're stoned, then that thing is a Kabira. If you're expelled out of the city,

then that thing is a Kabira

Actions of the Salaf: Abu Bakr's Position

The next point from the actions of the Salaf. The Quran, the authentic Hadith, now the actions of the Salaf.

Al-Imam Ad-Dahabi (may Allah have mercy on him), he was on the way of the Salaf As-Salih (the Righteous

Predecessors). He understood that what the companions used to do is a Hujjah (proof) against us.

So he brought the third dalil to show that not given the Zakat is a Kabira from the Kabair:

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1399; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 20

Translation: "Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the best of this Ummah, the best person of this

Ummah, the best person from the sons and daughters of Adam after all of the Anbiya (Prophets) (may Allah be

pleased with them) - he waged war against those people who refrain from giving the Zakat. And he said to the

companions when they came to him, 'How are you going to fight these people and they say (لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ - La ilaha illallah) (There is

no god but Allah)?' Abu Bakr said: 'Wallahi, if those people prevent me from an iqal (camel rope), one iqal that

they used to give Rasulullah, Wallahi I'm going to fight them for it.'"

The iqal Ikhwan is the rope that was tied around the head, or it's what is tied around the leg of the animals -

something insignificant. Or in another narration, the ana'ah - the female camel that has not reached a year.

So a man he has 10,000 camels. He gives Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) 200 camels from his

10,000 camels. During the Khilafah (Caliphate) of Abu Bakr, the man gives 200 camels as he used to give

Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him). But he chose to keep one baby camel that should have been

given.

Abu Bakr said: "Wallahi, I'll make Jihad on him for that one camel. Even though he gave me 200, if he left

back one small camel behind or something insignificant that he should have given, then verily I'm going

to fight them."

Two Important Points

This athar of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) Ikhwan, it should be understood. Two points:

First Point: Abu Bakr Was the Jama'ah

Number one, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as I mentioned already is and was the best of this

Ummah after Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) and this is one of the proofs of that.

And that on this particular day, the day that the people apostated and they left Islam, Abu Bakr was the

Jama'ah all by himself. There was an Ummah of Muslims, companions who were there. But Abu Bakr (may

Allah be pleased with him), he was the Jama'ah.

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), he described the Jama'ah. What's the Jama'ah? This

Jama'ah, they say that the Haqq is with them. This group over here, they say that they're the Jama'ah. The people

on this Madhab say that they're the Jama'ah. That Masjid over there, they say that they're the Jama'ah. Who's the

Jama'ah?

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, he said:

Translation: "The Jama'ah is the truth, even if you were by yourself upon the truth."

So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the Jama'ah on this day. When the people left the religion of

Islam and they apostated, because all of the companions were against the fact that he waged war and declared

war against the people who didn't give the Zakat. Until he was able to convince them with the proofs that the

Haqq was with him. And then after that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and other than them, they got

with the program of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).

Second Point: Abu Bakr's Tenacity for the Sunnah

The second thing about Abu Bakr that is just as important that we want to bring your attention to from this

Athar and this incident: Abu Bakr was well known for his tenacity and holding on to the Sunnah.

He was tenacious. He would not move an inch to the right or the left, unless he had a dalil that would allow him

to do so. And once he knew what the Sunnah was, he didn't care what people thought about him. And he didn't

care how many people were against him. Obviously he has hikmah (wisdom) and he has knowledge. He's not

going to be reckless and destroy things.

But Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was a man of the Sunnah and he was upon the Sunnah. In this

case he showed all of the companions: What the Prophet did (peace and blessings be upon him) and that's what

I'm going to do.

Example: The Army of Usamah

When he was going to send the army of Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him), everyone gave him advice

because he used to take the advice of the people. Everyone said don't send the army. We need the army to

protect Medina. If the army leaves, we're going to be weak.

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is showing his seriousness about the Sunnah. He told the people:

Translation: "Wallahi, I will not untie a knot that Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) tied."

What he did was good enough for me. And that was the Haqq in that particular issue.

Lesson for Us

We have in this masjid many brothers who want to practice the Sunnah and they want to be upon the Sunnah.

But I have to say to you brothers, practicing the Sunnah and being upon the Sunnah requires knowledge of

the Sunnah.

One of the things that we see in our masjid that many people do, and we have to begin to ask ourselves: in order

to do this or in order to believe in this, where is the proof that I'm following? Don't be a copycat. Don't just

copy people. Find out why you do what you do.

Example: Moving for Sutrah After Missing Rakah

The man is praying in the jama'ah. And he came and he missed one rakah or two rakah. After the salaam of the

imam, that person gets up, and he moves forward to take a sutrah to the right or the left. This is not from the

Sunnah of Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him), and it's being done by a person who wants to

practice the Sunnah. He has good intent. He wants to practice the command of praying to a sutrah.

But did the companions of Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) leave us that as an example? That's for

the person who's trying to practice the Sunnah. What about the people who don't have any idea what the Sunnah

is? They have no idea.

Example: Reading Quran on Death Anniversary

So, when it's a year after the death of a relative, they gather the people together and they read the Quran. He

read some, he read some, he read some. And they believe that that reward is going to go to that dead person.

And that's the only time they read the Quran. Every year on the anniversary of a death of someone, they do this.

We have to ask ourselves, Ikhwan, is that from our religion or it's not from our religion? We have to be like

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Don't take a step in this religion without knowing why.

Example: Do Angels See Allah?

Someone came to me today and they said, "Is it true that the mala'ikah (angels), they see Allah?" Do the

mala'ikah see Allah? A question that's a knowledge-based question. I said based upon what I know, the

mala'ikah do not see Allah.

They said, "Someone said that the mala'ikah see Allah." He has a right to say that, maybe he has a dalil. It's your

responsibility to ask me, to ask him, to ask that one. Where is the dalil for that? Where is the dalil?

We don't believe and we don't do any forms of worship in this religion without proofs, clear proofs. That's Abu

Bakr As-Siddiq and that's why he's the most knowledgeable of this ummah (may Allah be pleased with him).

More Quranic Evidence

So this hadith here says that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "If they used to give an ana'ah (a

little camel), I'm going to fight him." Some of the narrations also said that he said, "If they used to give him an

iqal," and the iqal is what is tied around the head. The Arabs used to use it to tie up the leg of the animals.

If they used to give that to Rasulullah and they refused to give it to me, I'm going to fight him.

Allah said:

Translation: "And let not those who [greedily] withhold what Allah has given them of His bounty ever think that

it is better for them. Rather, it is worse for them. Their necks will be encircled by what they withheld on the Day

of Resurrection. And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. And Allah, with what you do, is

[fully] Acquainted."

Do not think that those people who refuse to give out of that which We've given them from Our virtues - Allah

gave it to you from His own virtue - do not believe that when they refrain from giving, it is better for them. In

fact, it is worse for them. What they don't give will be tied around their necks on Yawm al-Qiyamah from that

zakat money that they didn't pay and they will be punished with it.

And to Allah belongs all of the money in the heavens and the earth, and He knows well what you people do.

The Penalty for Not Paying Zakat

The authentic hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) where he said about the zakat: Listen to

what happens in the Islamic state, when the person doesn't give the zakat. He doesn't say the zakat shouldn't be

given, he believes in zakat, but he says "I'm not going to give it." Or he refuses to pay in any way that he

refuses. He hides, he doesn't let the person in charge know where he's at.

Rasulullah says (peace and blessings be upon him):

Reference: Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 1575; Sunan an-Nasa'i, Hadith 2442

Translation: "The person who prevents himself from giving the zakat, we're going to take half of his money, and

half of his animals, as a command that Allah Ta'ala has legislated."

So the penalty for not giving zakat, when the Khalifa (Caliph) or the Imam gets a hold of the person, is that he

has the right to take half of all of his money as a penalty, and half of all of his animals as a penalty, as a result

of preventing himself from the zakat.

Example: The Guest's Rights

In the religion of Al-Islam, if someone came to your house as a guest, the guest who you open your door to, and

you allow him to be your daif (guest), he has a right that you take care of him for three days, three days and

three nights.

And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) allowed the guest, if his host does not take care of him the

proper way, he doesn't feed him, doesn't give him to drink - the Prophet allowed us (peace and blessings be

upon him) for the guest, to take his right from the host. He allowed the one who's the guest, to take food, to take

drink from the host. Obviously he can't do it in a way that's going to cause a bigger fitna. He can't go into the kitchen and his wife is in the kitchen, and then claim, "I'm going to take my haq."

The point is Al-Islam gave the daif huquq. From the huquq of the daif is: if the host or the hostess doesn't take care of him, he has the right to take what he needs.

If that's the case with the guest, then obviously the issue of the zakat, which is the haq of Allah, the haq of the ibad, is going to be even more serious.

So from the penalties of not giving the zakat, and a proof that it's a kabira from the kabair, is the fact that Al- Islam, Allah Ta'ala has legislated, that the imam, the hakim (ruler), he is allowed to take half of the property of a man, his money, as well as his animals.

The First Three to Enter Hellfire

Al-Imam Al-Nawawi Ad-Dahabi (may Allah have mercy on him), he brings the last hadith of this chapter, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir:

(Source Name)

Translation: "And this hadith says that the Prophet says (peace and blessings be upon him), the first three people who will enter into the hellfire, on the Day of Resurrection will be:

1. The Amir (leader), who is oppressive. He is oppressive

2. The one who has money, but he doesn't give Allah his haqq. He doesn't pay the zakah. He will be one of the first three people to enter into the hellfire

3. A poor person who is fukhur (arrogant). A fakir who is fukhur. A poor person who is arrogant. He has nothing to be arrogant about."

Note on This Hadith

Concerning this hadith, this hadith seems to contradict the hadith that's well known to us, that the first three people will be put into the hellfire will be:

1. The one who made jihad (to be seen)

2. The one who read the Quran (to be called a Qari)

3. The rich man who used to give in order to be seen (to be said that he was generous)

So based upon that, it appears that this hadith is not authentic. But because I don't have my books available to research the hadith, I'm not going to say it's authentic or it's not authentic. Allahu A'lam (Allah knows best).

Since Al-Imam Ad-Dahabi brought it last in the chapter, more than likely it seems to be not authentic. In addition to that, he said that Al-Imam Ibn Abi Yahya, that he himself narrated it alone. It appears that it's not authentic. But I'm not going to say it's authentic, nor am I going to say that it is not authentic. Allahu A'lam. It seems to go against what is authentic. We don't have the ability to judge that because of the circumstances.

Statement of Abdullah Ibn Umar

He brought lastly the athar of Abdullah Ibn Umar. That's similar to the statement of Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud:

Allah has ordered you people to make the salah and to give the zakat. Whoever doesn't give the zakat, he has no salah.

That is a valid position concerning the ulama of Al-Islam. That's the chapter of Az-Zakat.

Conclusion: Money as a Trust

And the next chapter is the chapter of taking care and being diligent to look out for our parents. Those people who have given us life, bi-idhnillah (by Allah's permission) wa bi-fadlihi (and by His grace). Before getting into that chapter, because it's one of the longest chapters of the book Kitab Al-Kabair.

As it relates to our monies, Ikhwani: The money that we have is a trust that Allah Ta'ala has given us. No one is going to die without him collecting all of the money that was written for him.

So the young man who wants to get married, but he has financial difficulties, no place to live or to put his wife, he has to be patient. The one who is miskeen or faqeer, cannot and should not look at people and wish that he had money like that, because if he had money like that, his life is going to be better.

And of course the Muslim should never ever allow himself to play the lottery and to dream, "If I hit the lottery 14 million pounds, it's going to be all over. 14 million pounds, I'll be the happiest person in the world."

Money is a fitna, and Allah knows who to give money to and who not to give money to.

Examples of Money's Corruption

You'll be surprised as it relates to the hadith: Every ummah has a fitna, and the fitna of my ummah is money.

You'll be surprised at what some Muslims do for money. From what we've come to know, from the Muslims, is:

• The imam in America, who went to the gulf states and came back with 5 million dollars, almost 20 million riyals, money to build a masjid. But the fitna of this ummah is money - money to build a masjid. 5 million pounds, used that money to buy cocaine and started selling cocaine

• The Muslim collects the money from the Muslims, the Zakat al-Fitr, and he's in charge of the Zakat al-Fitr, at the door on the day, the last day of Ramadan, the first day of Shawwal. The people will come on the day of Eid, rushing, giving him the money. He's taking the people's money: 5 pounds, 5 pounds, everyone 5 pounds, on and on and on, and he only gives the people back half of that money
• In the masjids of the Muslims, people break in and they go into the money boxes and steal the money. They steal the money from the money box, in the masjid

Because the money is a fitna for the people in general, except the one who has taqwa, and the one who realizes, money is not the goal and the objective, but instead it is a vehicle, whether you have a lot of it or a little.

The Prophet's Advice

The Prophet said about it (peace and blessings be upon him):

Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 2144; Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim

Translation: "Do not be in haste, do not try, do not try to gather money and just you're rushing, trying to gather money, you're in a panic, and you're doing everything, by hook or crook, just to gather money, working two, three jobs, you're just trying to get the money - don't do that. I swear by Allah, no soul will die until it has accumulated all of the money that has been written for it.

So make a good attempt in bringing the money together. Make a good effort in trying to get the money that you do get, because you're going to be asked about it, how did you spend it, what did you do with it, and it'll come, and it'll be an argument against you."

Learning About Zakat

So, Ikhwani, during the course of this year, insha'Allah, especially as Ramadan gets close, insha'Allah, the zakat is a bab from the abwab (chapters) of knowledge in Al-Islam, that we should take some time out to learn.

We don't have to get deep into it, nor do we have to deal with the issues that don't concern us, like, "If I had 2,000 camels, how much do I give in zakat?" We don't have any camels, so we don't have to deal with that issue.

But in terms of:

• The gold of our wives
• Our property
• Our businesses

• How much money we have
• Who has what and who should pay

These are issues that every Muslim should concern himself with. And he shouldn't look at it as business as usual: "I've never paid zakat, I'm not from the rich people, and I'm not going to give zakat."

Zakat is an obligation, and it is a major obligation, more important than Ramadan, more important than Hajj. It's been connected with the Salat, which is the most important rukn from the arkan al-amaliyah (pillars of action).

Warning About the Slave of Money

Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2887

Translation: "Destroyed is the slave of the dinar, the slave of the dirham, the slave of his clothes. If he is given, he becomes happy. If he's not given, he becomes upset."

The one who is a slave of the dinar, the one who is the slave of the darham, the one who is the slave of his clothes - he's a slave of his clothes, he has the nicest clothes.

Example of Excessive Attention to Appearance

If you go, and this is just an example, this is not to pick on any particular group, but it is a fact: If you go to the countries, like in the gulf states, where the people wear the gutra (headscarf). Covering your head is from Al- Islam, and it's from the etiquette of ar-rajula (the man) in Al-Islam.

But when did the Muslims ever become preoccupied to the point where the Muslim is always looking in the mirror, fixing his gutra all the time. Whoever wears a gutra, wherever he is, nothing wrong with wearing a gutra. But when the person becomes preoccupied in the salah, and he's in the mirror. Women, that's the characteristics of the women, and they're not criticized for that. They should try to look beautiful, and smell beautiful.

But the Prophet said about the men (peace and blessings be upon him):

Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 4161

Translation: "Modesty in dress is part of faith."

Al-badhadhah means to leave yourself without combing your hair and your beard. Al-badhadhah means not to put a dehn (oil) on yourself, to go disheveled sometime.

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

(Source Name)

Translation: "Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to walk barefooted sometimes."

If something fell on the ground that he was eating, he would pick it up and wipe it off, and he would eat it. With a personality like that, when it was time for jihad, when it was time to order with the ma'roof (good), to stop the munkar (evil), when it was time to make a serious effort to prove or to protect himself, his family, the deen, he was ready. And those who were with him were ready.

But when the appearance became the most important thing to the Muslim man, he can't sit down in his chair until he gets a napkin and he wipes the chair off. He can't do anything. He can't do anything except he has to look slim and trim and fit. This is permissible to stay in shape, but not to go overboard. Not to go overboard. The one who was concerned about his clothes, he has been lost.

The Prophet said: If he is given, he becomes happy. If he's not given money, he becomes upset.

So, the dinar, and the dollar, and the dirham, should not be the most important thing to the Muslim. And the Muslim realizes that the most important thing is the ibadah (worship) of Allah. And all of these issues are wasa'il (means).

Giving Sadaqah Even When Not Required

So, those of us who have money, but our money has not reached the level of giving the zakat, still you should give sadaqah from what you do have. The sadaqah that you do have will cause more money to be given to you.

Everyone knows that Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah be pleased with him) was from the poorest of the Muslims, and yet the Prophet used to tell him (peace and blessings be upon him):

Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 23885

Translation: "O Bilal, give money, and money will be given back to you."

If you give what you have, Allah will increase your money, even if you don't have that much. So, we're going to stop on this particular chapter here.

Question and Answer Session

Guys, if you brothers have any questions, insha'Allah, concerning today's man'ul zakat (withholding zakat), any comments, you can put them forth now.

Question 1: Zakat on Cars

Question: Do we have to give zakat on our cars? As you mentioned the comments, I thought, you know, expensive cars, do we have to give zakat?

Answer: You don't have to give zakat on your cars. A car, you can't make the qiyas (analogy) of a car with a camel. You can't make qiyas of a car with a camel, because there is a nass (text) or a text that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told the people:

• If you have these many camels, you have to give these many camels in zakat
• This many cows, you have to give these many cows in zakat
• These many sheep, you have to give these many sheep in zakat

And you can't make qiyas or analogy, because it's a riding beast with the car. Because they didn't use that just as riding beast. Maybe the camels were just for his property, it was his money. He didn't ride that. He had a horse, for an example. So you don't have to give zakat for your car.

Any questions, Ikhwan? Now, tafadhal (please go ahead).

Question 2: Zakat Only in Ramadan?

Question: Is there any condition that some people believe, Ikhwani, that Ramadan is the only time from the conditions of the zakat?

Answer: From the conditions of the zakat is that you have to have enough money, and also a year has to go around, and that same money is with you. Many people believe that Ramadan is the only time that you can give the zakat at the end of Ramadan or during the month of Ramadan, and that's not the case. That is not the case.

The person can give zakat after he had his money for a year, no matter what month that it fell in. But it was from the practice of the Salaf that because Ramadan is one of those months that has a lot of mercy and a lot of ajr (reward) in it, that the people gave their zakat in this month, but it's not a condition to do so.

Question 3: How Much to Give?

Question: How much do you have to give your parents?

Answer: The person who has to give the zakat has to give 2.5% of his money. He has to pay 2.5% of his money that stay with him for a year.

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As we mentioned in the Dars Ikhwani, the issue of zakat is an issue that doing the answers and the questions is not where you get appreciation and an understanding of the chapter or the baab of the zakat. But you have to learn it chapter by chapter, issue by issue.

So we can answer questions here, but again, the way you really understand the issue of the zakat is by studying the chapter itself.

Question 4: Kabir and Kabair

Question: Many times you mentioned, you said 2 words, kabir and kabair. What do you mean by that? And what's the difference from the kabair?

Answer: The difference between kabir and kabair:

• Kabir is one major sin. It's the singular
• Kabair is the plural of that one word

So you say zina (fornication) is a kabir. Zina and killing and magic are 3 kabair.

Question 5: The Eight Categories of Zakat Recipients

Question: You said there was 8 types of people that should receive zakat or 8 categories or something. Who are these 8 people?

Answer: Anybody is a hafidh (memorizer) of the Quran? In Surah At-Tawbah, Allah mentioned the 8 asnaf (categories) who take the zakat.

Translation: "Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise."

The zakat is for:

1. Al-Fuqara )الْفُقَرَاءِ( - The person who is faqeer - the one who doesn't have anything. He is dirt broke. He has nothing at all. Nothing to eat, nothing

2. Al-Masakin )الْمَسَاكِين - The person who is miskeen - a poor person but he has enough to eat for that day. He has something. There is a difference between the two

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3. Al-'Amileen 'alayha )الْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا - The person who goes out for the Muslim state and he collects the zakat. He collects the zakat

4. Al-Mu'allafatu qulubuhum( )الْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ - The person who you are trying to incline their hearts towards Al-Islam. Kufar (disbelievers). They don't believe in Islam but you want to bring them to the religion so you give them money from the zakat

5. Fi ar-Riqab )فِي الرِّقاب( - For freeing slaves/captives

6. Al-Gharimeen )الْغَارِمِينَ - The one who owes some money so you want to get him out of debt. So he can ask for the zakat money and you can give the zakat

7. Fi Sabilillah )فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ( - In the way of Allah

8. Ibn as-Sabeel )ابْنِ السَّبِيل - The wayfarer. He is lost in the streets trying to get back to his country. He is here but he is trying to get back to Somalia and he doesn't have any money. We can give him zakat

It's for those 8 people. And that ayah is in Surah At-Tawbah.

Question 6: If Unable to Pay Zakat

Question: What if you don't have the ability to do an ibadah?

Answer: If you don't have the ability to do an ibadah from the ibadah of Al-Islam then you don't have to do it. Whether it's zakat or other than that.

You pray according to your ability:

• If you only can pray sitting down, you pray sitting down
• If you pray lying down, that's all you can do, you pray lying down

The sister doesn't have to make hajj until she has her own money and until she has a mahram (male guardian).

So anything in Al-Islam, if you don't have the ability to do it, Allah does not make you responsible for doing it.

As for paying zakat on the house, these are the type of issues that in the month when we deal with the zakat, we're going to explain. You don't have to pay zakat on your house. Issues of stocks and bonds and issues like that - these questions, you can't just come and give a question. We have to learn the chapter, the baab of zakat. And then you'll get a better and fuller appreciation of the topic itself.

Question 7: Zakat on Business Inventory

Question: You mentioned about the car. How about if somebody has cars for business?

Answer: As for a person, his inventory - he has cars and he has to pay zakat. If his business is selling cars, then that property that he has, he has to pay the zakat. He has to pay the zakat on that property.

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Question 8: Beggars Around the Kaaba

Question: I spoke to a person recently who returned from Umrah. And he was telling me that time and time again, in and around the Kaaba, he was approached by all kinds of people saying, "Brother, I'm lost. I've lost my money. Someone's taken my money. I need to get back to my homeland." All kinds of excuses. And he said that he felt that a lot of this was deception. He was advised by people to ignore them. What's the position on this, especially in the Haram area?

Answer: The person has to try to have some hikmah (wisdom). If he feels that the person is pulling a scam, then he doesn't pay at all. Wala karama (no way). He feels that the person is lying, cheating, then he doesn't give him the money. Wala karama. And he looks for those people who are deserving of the money, or they appear to be deserving of the money.

But if he chooses to give the money, he'll get his reward with Allah.

Story of the Man Who Gave Sadaqah

Everyone knows the hadith of the man who came and he gave the sadaqa one night to the lady who was a zaniya (fornicator). And then he gave the sadaqa to... And the people said the sadaqa was given to the zaniya.

And then the next day he gave the money... He said alhamdulillah for the zaniya.

And then he gave the money the next day to a man who was rich. They said the man gave money to a rich man. He said alhamdulillah for the rich man.

And then the third day he gave money to a person who was a thief. And then they said the money was given to a thief. He said alhamdulillah for the thief.

Meaning:

• As for the zaniya, I hope that she takes the money and she stops making zina
• As for the rich man, I hope he takes that money and realizes that he has to give zakat, sadaqa from his money
• As for the one who's a thief, I hope he takes that money and helps him to leave off stealing

So Allah will reward the person based upon his niya (intention). But he has a responsibility to choose the right person.

Warning About Giving to the Foolish

Because Allah, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told us:

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And Allah said in the Quran:

Translation: "And do not give the weak-minded (sufaha) your property."

Allah said in the Quran, don't give the sufaha (foolish people) your money. So that guy who's going around stealing, and you know he's like that, and you give him the money, you can possibly fall into this hadith, if you know.

Because you saw him doing it to him, he's doing it to him, and he's doing it to him, as we've seen before. In our tent in hajj, the lady came with a niqab on, and she was asking for money. So at another tent, without the niqab on, and she was asking for money. And that's the job of some of the people.

May Allah give us al-'afiyah was-salamah (well-being and safety).

Question 9: Meaning of "Fi Sabilillah"

Question: In the categories, what does (في سبيل الله - Fi Sabilillah - In the way of Allah) mean?

Answer: Concerning the issue of (في سبيل الله) it's clear that the people who are out in the way of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala making jihad - it's clear that that's from the first group.

But some of the scholars later on said that (في سبيل الله) also mean:

• It could mean being a student of knowledge, that he can get the Zakat, even though he's not making jihad
• (في سبيل الله) can be an individual who built a school, so he can get the Zakat
• (في سبيل الله) could be the one who built the masjid, so the money can be given to the masjid

Some of the scholars said, no, you can't do that. (في سبيل الله) is clear - (في سبيل الله) means the one who is fighting in the cause of Allah.

But those people who say you can give it to a student of knowledge or a school or a masjid, they have proof where these situations were called similar - situations were called (في سبيل الله)

(والله أعلى وأعلم - And Allah knows best)

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Closing

So that's the chapter of Az-Zakat. And the next chapter is the chapter of taking care and being diligent to look out for our parents - those people who have given us life, bi-idhnillah wa bi-fadlihi.

May Allah make us from those who establish the salah, give the zakat, and fulfill all the obligations that He has placed upon us. May Allah protect us from being among those who withhold the zakat and may He make our wealth a source of purification for us and not a trial.