9/5. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1584 — Zakat, Prayer, and Justice
Zakat On Pasturing Animals
Hadith About Zakat Taken from the Rich and Given to the Poor
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1584
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1584
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْمَكِّيُّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ صَيْفِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْبَدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ مُعَاذًا إِلَى الْيَمَنِ فَقَالَ " إِنَّكَ تَأْتِي قَوْمًا أَهْلَ كِتَابٍ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوكَ لِذَلِكَ فَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوكَ لِذَلِكَ فَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَدَقَةً فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ تُؤْخَذُ مِنْ أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ وَتُرَدُّ فِي فُقَرَائِهِمْ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوكَ لِذَلِكَ فَإِيَّاكَ وَكَرَائِمَ أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهَا لَيْسَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ " .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
When the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) sent Mu’adh to Yemen, he said to him You are going to a people who are people of the book. So call them to bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they obey you in this respect, tell them that Allah has prescribed five prayers on them every day and night.If they obey you in this regard tell them that Allah has prescribed sadaqah(zakat) on their property and returned it to their poor. If they obey you in this respect, do not take the best of their property. Beware of the curse of the oppressed, for there is no curtain between it and Allah.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1584In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 29English translation : Book 9, Hadith 1579
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1584
This well-known Hadith about zakat shows the order in which Mu'adh was told to teach the people of Yemen. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم first told him to call them to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is the Messenger of Allah. If they accepted that, he should tell them about the five daily prayers. If they obeyed that, he should tell them that Allah prescribed zakat on their property, taken from their rich and returned to their poor. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also warned him not to take the best of their wealth and to fear the curse of the oppressed. The message is faith, worship, fair zakat, and avoiding injustice.
What we learn from this hadith
- Calling to Allah begins with belief in Allah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- Zakat is taken from the wealthy and returned to the poor.
- Taking the best property unfairly is warned against in this Hadith.
