VIRTUES OF ZAKAAT IN THE LIGHT OF HADITH
There are also many Ahadith which have been narrated concerning Zakaat. Some of them are being quoted below:
Hadith 1 & 2: It is in Sahih Bukhari Shareef from Hazrat Abu Hurairah ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘To whomsoever Allah gives wealth and he does not discharge its Zakaat, on the day of Qiyaamat, it will appear in the form of a bald headed snake, with two spots on its head. The snake will be placed as a noose around his neck, and it will grab his cheeks and say, ‘I am your wealth. I am your treasure.’ After this, Rasoolullah ﷺ recited this verse ﹷن ْﻮ ﹷﺨﻠﹹ ْﺒ ﹷﻳ ﹷﻦ ْﻳ ﹻﺬ ﹽﹷﻟ ا ﹽﹷن ﹷ�ﹷﺴ ْﺤ ﹷﻳ ﹷﻻ ﹷو (until the end of the verse).
A similar narration is reported in Tirmizi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud ؓ.
Hadith 3: The narration of Imam Ahmed from Hazrat Abu Hurairah mentions, ‘The wealth for which the Zakaat was not discharged will appear on the day of Qiyaamat in the form of a bald-headed snake. It will chase (pursue) its owner and he will flee (from it), until he finally thrusts his fingers into its mouth.’
Hadith 4 & 5: It is in Sahih Muslim Shareef from Hazrat Abu Hurairah ؓ that Nabi ﷺ said, ‘If a person is the owner of gold and silver and if he does not pay its Zakaat, then on the day of Qiyaamat, plates of fire will be prepared for him, and which will be heated in the fire of hell, and his sides, forehead and his back will be branded with it. When it is about to cool down, then the same will be repeated again. This will be the affair of a day, which will last for fifty thousand
years, until judgement will be pronounced amongst the servants. He will now see his path, whether it leads him towards Jannat or it leads him towards Jahannam. Nabi ﷺ was asked about the camels, and He ﷺ said, ‘One who does not discharge what is due on him, then on the day of Qiyaamat he will be made to lay down on a huge plain, and all those camels will come forth in a healthy condition, and they will trample over him with their hooves, and bite him with their mouths. When their last herd passes over him, the first will return (to trample over him), and with regards to the cattle and goats.’ He ﷺ said, ‘Such a person will be made to lay down on an open field, and all of them (i.e. the cattle and goats) will appear. None of them will have twisted horns, none will be without horns and none will have broken horns. They will gore him with their horns, and they will trample on him with their hooves.’
A similar narration is reported in the Sahihain from Hazrat Abu Zarr
ؓ with regards to not paying the Zakaat on camels, cattle and goats.
Hadith 6: It is in Sahih Bukhari from Hazrat Abu Hurairah ؓ that after Rasoolullah ﷺ when Siddique e Akbar ؓ became Khalifa, some people in Arabia became kaafir (they rejected Zakaat being Fard). Siddique e Akbar ؓ commanded Jihad against them. Ameer ul Mo’mineen Farooq e Azam ؓ said, ‘Why are you fighting against them?’ Whereas Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘I have been commanded to fight
against the people until they proclaim اﷲﹹ ﹽﹷﻻ اﹻ ﹷہ اﹻﻟٰ ﹷﻵ and one who has
proclaimed اﷲﹹ ﹽﹷﻻ اﹻ ﹷہ اﹻﻟٰ ﹷﻵ has protected his Deen and wealth, and his
privileges in Islam and his accountability is with Allah (in other words,
he said that what need is there to fight them, whereas they have
already proclaimed اﷲ ﹽﹷﻻ اﹻ ﹷہ ﹻاﻟٰ ﹷﻵ ). Siddique e Akbar ؓ said, ‘By Allah, I will
make Jihad against those who differentiate between Namaaz and Zakaat (i.e. those who accept Namaaz as Fard and reject Zakaat being
Fard). Zakaat is the due of wealth. By Allah! If they presented a baby goat in the court of Rasoolullah ﷺ and they refuse to give that (now), then I will make Jihad against them for it.’ Farooq-e-Azam ؓ says, ‘By Allah! I observed that Almighty Allah had opened the chest of Siddique ؓ. I thus acknowledged that it is he who is on the path of righteousness.’
Hadith 7: Abu Dawud reported from Hazrat Abdullah ibn Ab’bas ي�ر
the revealed, was ﹷواﻟ ﹻﺬ ْﻳ ﹷﻦ ﹷﻳﻜْ ﹻﻨﺰﹹ ْو ﹷن اﻟ ﹽﹷﺬ ْﻫ ﹷﺐ ﹷواﻟ ﹻﻔ ﹽﹷﻀ ﹷﺔ verse this when that اﷲ �ﻌﺎ�� ﻋﻨهﻤﺎ
Muslims felt it trying (i.e. they thought that it was Haraam to gather gold and silver, and they felt this would cause them to face many difficulties). Hazrat Farooq-e-Azam ؓ said, ‘I will remove you from this difficult situation.’ He then presented himself before the Beloved Rasool ﷺ and said, ‘Your companions are looking at this verse as being difficult (to act upon).’ He ﷺ said, ‘Almighty Allah has made Zakaat Fard, so that your remaining wealth may be purified, and inheritance has been made Fard, so that it may serve those after you (i.e. if to amass wealth was completely Haraam, then Zakaat would not be a means to purify your wealth; and what would Zakaat be Fard on, and from where will inheritance be given? In reality, to amass that wealth on which Zakaat has not been paid is Haraam).’ On hearing this, Hazrat Farooq-e-Azam ؓ proclaimed the Takbeer (aloud).
Hadith 8: Imam Bukhari has reported it in his Taarikh and Imam Shafi’i, Baz’zaz and Baihaqi have reported from Ummul Mo’mineen Siddiqa ﻋﻨهﺎ ��ﻌﺎ� ياﷲ�ر that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘Zakaat will not be mixed in any wealth, without causing it to be destroyed.’
Some of the A’ima have said that the meaning of this Hadith is that, if Zakaat is Waajib upon one and he did not discharge it, but rather he left it mixed with his wealth, then this Haraam will destroy whatever
Halaal he has. Imam Ahmed said the meaning of this is that if a wealthy person (one who is financially stable) accepts Zakaat; it will destroy his wealth, because Zakaat is for the Faqeers (i.e. one deserving Zakaat). Both interpretations of this Hadith are correct.
Hadith 9: Tabrani reported in Awsat from Hazrat Buraidah ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘Allah will afflict a nation who does not pay its Zakaat, with drought.’
Hadith 10: Tabrani reported in Awsat from Farooq-e-Azam ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘That wealth which is ruined in dryness and wetness (i.e. on land and water), is ruined due to not discharging Zakaat.’
Hadith 11: It is in Sahihain from Ahnaf bin Qais that Sayyiduna Abu Zarr ؓ said, ‘An intensely hot stone from the fire of hell will be placed on the tip of their breasts (i.e. those who shun Zakaat), which will break through the chest and exit from the shoulder, and it will (then) be placed on the shoulder bone, causing it to break through the bones and exit from the chest.’
It is also mentioned in Sahih Muslim Shareef, that (Hazrat Abu Zarr
ؓ) said. I heard Nabi Kareem ﷺ saying, ‘It will break through the backbone and exit from the side, and it will break through the nape and exit from the forehead.’
Hadith 12: Tabrani reported from Ameerul Mo’mineen Hazrat Ali م�
اﷲ وﺟہ ا��ﻳﻢ
that Nabi Kareem ﷺ said, ‘The needy will never face being
unclothed or hungry, but at the hands of the wealthy. Hear this! Allah will hold such wealthy people strictly accountable, and He will punish them severely.’
Hadith 13: Tabrani reports from Hazrat Anas ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘On the day of Qiyaamat, the wealthy will be harmed by the hands of the needy. The needy will say, ‘(O Allah) they unjustly held back from us in our rightful due (from their wealth) which You made Fard upon them.’ Almighty Allah will say, ‘By My Honour and Majesty! I will bless you with My closeness and I will keep them distant.’
Hadith 14: Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hib’ban have reported in their Sahih from Hazrat Abu Hurairah ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘Three people will be the first to enter Hell (i.e. three types of people). From amongst them, one of them will be a wealthy person who did not pay from his wealth, what is due for Allah.’
Hadith 15: Imam Ahmed reported in Musnad reported from Hazrat Am’mara bin Hazm ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘Almighty Allah has made four (4) things Fard in Islam. The one who fulfils three from amongst them will not have them benefit him, until he does not fulfil all four of them; (they are) Namaaz, Zakaat, Fasting in Ramadaan and Hajj Baitullah.’
Hadith 16: Tabrani has mentioned in Kabeer with the merit of Sahih, that Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ud ؓ says, ‘We have been commanded to perform Namaaz and give Zakaat, and the Namaaz of the one who does not pay his Zakaat, is not accepted.’
Hadith 17: It is in Sahihain, Musnad (Imam) Ahmed and Sunan Tirmizi from Hazrat Abu Hurairah ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘Giving Sadaqa (Charity) does not lessen your wealth; and if a servant forgives the shortcomings of someone, Allah Almighty will increase his honour; and one who shows humility for the sake of Allah, Allah will exalt him (i.e. grant him Excellence and Respect).’
Hadith 18: It is in Bukhari and Muslim from him (i.e. Hazrat Abu Hurairah ؓ) that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘One who spends on a pair of things in the way of Allah, will be invited from all the doors of Jannat, and there are many doors of Jannat. One who is a Namaazi will be invited from the Door of Namaaz, the one who is from amongst the Ahle Jihad will be invited from the door of Jihad, the one who is from amongst those who gave Sadaqa will be invited from the Door of Sadaqa, and the one who kept fast will be invited from Baab ur Ray’yan (The Door Ar Ray’yan).’ Siddique e Akbar ؓ said, ‘There is no real need then for one to be invited from all the Doors (i.e. the objective is entrance into Jannat, and this a person attains by entering any one door of Jannat), but is there anyone who will be invited from all the doors of Jannat?’ He ﷺ said, ‘Yes, and I have confidence that you will be from amongst them.’
Hadith 19: Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Ibn Khuzaimah have reported from Hazrat Abu Hurairah ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘One who gives Sadaqa (charity) equal to even a date from his Halaal earnings. And Allah does not accept anything, except that which is from Halaal earnings. Almighty Allah then accepts this (charity) from the right, and Allah nurtures it for its owner, just as one would nurture a baby horse; until that Sadaqa (finally) becomes as high as a mountain.’
Hadith 20 & 21: Nasa’i and Ibn Majah have reported in their Sunan, and Ibn Khuzaimah and ibn Hib’ban have reported in their Sahih, and Haakim reported with the benefit of Sahih from Hazrat Abu Hurairah ؓ and from Hazrat Abu Sa’eed ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ delivered the Khutbah and said this, ‘By Him in Whose Divine Control is my life!’ He ﷺ said this thrice. He ﷺ then lowered his head and we all lowered our heads, and He ﷺ then began to weep. We did not
know what He ﷺ had sworn the oath about. Rasoolullah ﷺ then raised his blessed head and there were signs of happiness on his ﷺ holy face, and this was more beloved to us than possessing red camels. He ﷺ then said, ‘A servant who performs his Five Namaaz (Salaah), and keeps the fasts of Ramadaan and discharges his Zakaat, and abstains from the seven major sins, the doors of Jannat will be opened for him, and it will be said to him, Enter in peace!’
Hadith 22: Imam Ahmed reported on the authority of trustworthy narrators, from Hazrat Anas bin Malik ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘Pay the Zakaat from your wealth, as it is a purifier which will purify you; and keep good relations with your relatives, and recognise the rights of your neighbours, the needy, and the beggars.’
Hadith 23: It is in Tabrani Awsat and Kabeer from Hazrat Abu Dardah ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘Zakaat is the Bridge of Islam.’
Hadith 24: Tabrani reported in Awsat from Hazrat Abu Hurairah ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘For the one who takes responsibility of six things for me, I will guarantee Jannat for him.’ I said, ‘What are they, Ya Rasool’Allah ﷺ?’ He ﷺ said, ‘Namaaz, Fasting, Zakaat, that which is entrusted to him, his private parts, the stomach, and the tongue.’
Hadith 25: Baz’zaar reported from Alqama ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘The perfection of your Islam is in discharging the Zakaat from your wealth.’
Hadith 26: Tabrani reported in Kabeer from Hazrat Ibn Umar اﷲ ي�ر ﻋﻨهﻤﺎ ��ﻌﺎ� that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘One who brings Imaan in Allah and His Rasool ﷺ should pay the Zakaat from his wealth, and one who brings Imaan in Allah and His Rasool ﷺ should either speak the Truth (Haq)
or remain silent (in other words, he should not speak using vulgar words), and one who believes in Allah and His Rasool ﷺ should honour his guest.’
Hadith 27: Abu Dawud reports a Mursal narration from Hazrat Hasan Basri ؓ and Tabrani and Baihaqi have reported from a huge Jama’at of Sahaba-e-Kiraam ﻋﻨہﻢ ي�ﻌﺎ� اﷲ ي�ر that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘Give your Zakaat and fortify your wealth in powerful fortresses; and treat your ill through Sadaqa, and when evil descends, then seek assistance in Dua (supplication) and weeping (in the Court of Allah).’
Hadith 28: Ibn Khuzaimah reported in his Sahih and Tabrani reported in Awsat, and Haakim in Mustadrak from Hazrat Jaabir ؓ that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘Verily Allah has removed harm (evil) from the wealth of one who has paid his Zakaat.’