Disciplines for Zakat Collector

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), gave the following disciplinary instructions to a zakat collector. He (the Imam) then sent him to the suburbs of the city of al-Kufah. “O servant of Allah, set out for this task: but you must be pious before Allah who is one and has no partner. You must not give preference to your worldly matters over the matters of the next life. You must be protective of what I have entrusted you with and pay proper attention to the rights of Allah. When you arrive in the community of so and so tribe, disembark at the place, which is the source of their water. Do not mingle among their houses. Thereafter go in a dignified and honorable manner to meet them until you stand among them and say to them the expression of greeting, then say to them, ‘O servants of Allah, the person who possesses Divine Authority has sent me to ask you to pay the rights of Allah which are due on your wealth and I collect them. Is there anything of the rights of Allah due on your wealth that you must pay to the person who possesses Divine Authority?’ If anyone says, ‘No, (there is not anything due on my wealth).’ You must not ask him again. If anyone among them answered you positively, then follow him without frightening him or promising him anything but good. When you reach the location of his wealth, do not enter that place without his permission; he owns most of the wealth. Then say to him, ‘O servant of Allah, do you allow me to enter the location of your wealth?’ If he allows you, then do not enter in a dominant or rough manner. Make two sections of the wealth, then allow him to choose one section and do not interfere with the section that he chooses. Thereafter make the remaining section into two sections and again allow him to choose whichever section he chooses. You must not interfere with his choice. Continue this process until you arrive at the remaining section that is the portion of zakat, the right of Allah, the most Holy, the most High. Take possession of the portion that is the right of Allah in his wealth. If he asks you to cancel the process, you should do so. Mix and start the process all over again until you can take possession of the right of Allah from his wealth. When you take possession, then do not mishandle it. You must remain helpful, kind, trustworthy and protective of the property you have received. You must not handle anything thereof roughly. Thereafter, dispatch promptly your collection of every community to us and we will handle it according to the commandments of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious. If you dispatch it through a messenger, advise him not to block or separate a camel from her young, and do not over-milk the camel to harm her young. He must not tire the camel by riding excessively. He must follow rules of justice toward them. He must allow them to drink from every source of water on the way. In the hours, which are for their grazing and rest, he must not drive them on the plain road. He must be kind and caring to them so they can reach us, by the permission of Allah in good health and condition, not tired or overworked. We then, by the permission of Allah, distribute them according to the book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah among the friends of Allah. Following these instructions will allow you to have greater reward and it is closer to the dictate of your reason. Allah looks upon you and these properties, and upon your hard work, good advice to your commander who has commissioned you for the task. The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever, for the sake of Allah, pays attention to his guardian, works hard obediently and gives good advice to him (guardian) and to his Imam, in the company of the high position, he will join our company.”” He (narrator) has said, ‘Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), wept and said, “O Burayd, by Allah, all respectable matters of Allah have already been disregarded. The book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah are not followed in this world any more. Nothing of the laws of justice is maintained in this world after the passing away of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.). Nothing of the laws of truth has ever since been followed.” He then said, “I swear by Allah, days and night will not end until Allah will give life to the dead, cause the living to die, return the truth to the people of truth, and establish His religion which He has chosen for Himself and for His prophet. It is glad news for you. It indeed is glad news for you. Without any doubt, it is glad news for you. I swear by Allah, Truth does not exist anywhere in any place except in your hands.’””

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked, ‘Does Zakat collector call people in one place or he comes to where people are? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he comes to their places and collects their charity (Zakat).’”

Charity (Zakat) is not sold before it is received (collected).”’

“Ja‘far, (abu ‘Abd Allah) (a.s.), has narrated from his father who has that when Ali (a.s.), would send a Zakat collector for his task and say to him, ‘When you go to Zakat payer, say to him, “Give charity, may Allah grant you blessings, out of what Allah has granted you.” If he turns away from you, then you must not go to him again.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about charity (Zakat). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not accepted from you.’ He (the narrator) then said, ‘I take it from my own assets.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to him, ‘Instruct your Zakat collector not to move from house to house, bring together what is apart and separate what is together. When he approaches people’s assets he should make the sheep stand in two groups, then allow the owner to choose one of the two groups and allow him to have what he chooses. If the owner desires to have one, two or three sheep from the other group, allow him to have it. Thereafter receive his charity (Zakat). When charity (Zakat) is received, distribute it among those whom he (the owner of assets) wants. If something in exchange for the items received as Zakat is offered, then Zakat payer has the priority over others to have it, but if he does not want, it then can be sold (to others).”’

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about Zakat which is of the rate of one out of ten and one who distributes it among those who are not harmful. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he is trustworthy, instruct him to deliver it where it should be delivered; but if you cannot trust him, then take it from him and deliver where it should be delivered.’”

“’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), wrote to him in the letter that he wrote to him with his own hand writing when he sent him to receive charity (Zakat). Those who owe Jadha’ah as Zakat for camels but do not have Jadha‘ah but have Hiqqah, it is accepted from them, but they must give two sheep along with it or twenty dirham. Those who owe one Hiqqah as Zakat but do not have it, but have Jadha’ah, it is accepted from them and Zakat collector gives them two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who owe Hiqqah as Zakat but do not have Hiqqah but have Ibnata Labun, it is accepted from them with two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who owe Ibnata Labun as Zakat but do not have it, but they have Hiqqah, it is accepted from them and Zakat collector gives them two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who owe Ibnata Labun as Zakat but do not have it but they have Ibnata Makhad, it is accepted from them along with two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who owe Ibnata Makhad as Zakat but do not have it but they have Ibnata Labun, it is accepted from them and Zakat collector gives them two sheep or twenty dirham. Those who do not have Ibnata Makhad as it is but they have a male Ibnata Labun it is accepted from them without anything extra. Those who do not have anything other than four camels and have no other assets, there is not anything on them unless the owner desires (otherwise). If one’s asset is five camels, then its Zakat is one sheep.’” (Ahadith 2-7 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

“Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.), commissioned me as collector of zakat (charity) for Ban Qiya (al-Qadisiyah today) and suburbs of al-Kufah. In the presence of people he said to me, Take good care of taxes and do not disregard even one dirham.’ However, see me before you leave for your work.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I went to see him and he said to me, “Whatever you heard me say to you was for protective measures only. Never ever beat up a Muslim, a Jew, or a Christian taxpayer for a dirham of tax or buy an animal for work for a dirham. We only receive taxes in ease.’”” (The following chapters are best explained by fatwa.)