9/2. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1558 — Zakat Nisab for Camels, Silver, and Crops
Property On Which Zakat Is Payable
Zakat Nisab Hadith: Five Camels, Five Ounces, and Five Wasq
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1558
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1558
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ يَحْيَى الْمَازِنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَيْسَ فِيمَا دُونَ خَمْسِ ذَوْدٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَلَيْسَ فِيمَا دُونَ خَمْسِ أَوَاقٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَلَيْسَ فِيمَا دُونَ خَمْسَةِ أَوْسُقٍ صَدَقَةٌ " .
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
Abu Sa’id Al Khudri reported: That the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) as saying No sadaqah(zakat) is payable on less than five camels, on less than five ounces of silver and on less than five camel loads(wasq).
[1] Here, as in many of these narrations to come, the term Ṣadaqah refers to the obligatory charity or Zakāt .[2] Awāq is plural of “ Uqiyah ,” and it is a number of silver coins or its like, and they also say: “ Waqiyah .” They say it is forty Dirham, and five Awāq is equal to two-hundred Dirham.[3] Uwsuq and Awsāq are plural of Wasq ; a volume measurement which they say is equal to sixty Ṣā‘ . See the following narration. A Ṣā‘ is a volume measurement which is measured when the average man holds two hands together and scoops four times like that, and its precise measurement may be fixed by the leaders.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1558In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 3English translation : Book 9, Hadith 1553
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1558
This Hadith gives clear zakat nisab limits for three types of property. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said no sadaqah, meaning zakat in this context, is payable on less than five camels, less than five ounces of silver, and less than five camel loads, or wasq. The wording teaches that zakat has thresholds and is not due below these amounts. The Hadith is often searched by people looking for zakat nisab in hadith, especially for camels, silver, dates, grain, and wasq. The explanation should not add later calculations beyond the text, because the Hadith itself only gives the named measures.
What we learn from this hadith
- No zakat is payable on less than five camels in this report.
- No zakat is payable on less than five ounces of silver.
- No zakat is payable on less than five wasq.
- The Hadith shows that zakat is tied to set thresholds.
