9/22. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1625 — Collecting and Spending Zakat Correctly
Transfer Of Zakat Of One City To Another City
Zakat Distribution Hadith: Collect It and Spend It in the Right Place
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1625
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1625
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبِي، أَخْبَرَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ، مَوْلَى عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ زِيَادًا، أَوْ بَعْضَ الأُمَرَاءِ بَعَثَ عِمْرَانَ بْنَ حُصَيْنٍ عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ قَالَ لِعِمْرَانَ أَيْنَ الْمَالُ قَالَ وَلِلْمَالِ أَرْسَلْتَنِي أَخَذْنَاهَا مِنْ حَيْثُ كُنَّا نَأْخُذُهَا عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَوَضَعْنَاهَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا نَضَعُهَا عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Ibrahim ibn Ata Narrated from:
Ziyad, or some other governor, sent Imran ibn Husayn to collect sadaqah (i.e. zakat). When he returned, he asked Imran: Where is the property? He replied: Did you send me to bring the property? We collected it from where we used to collect in the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and we spent it where we used to spend during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1625In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 70English translation : Book 9, Hadith 1621
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1625
This zakat distribution hadith highlights trust in collecting and spending sadaqah. A governor sent Imran ibn Husayn to collect zakat. When Imran returned, he was asked, “Where is the property?” His answer is the heart of the narration. He said they collected it from where they used to collect it in the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, and they spent it where they used to spend it during his time. The hadith does not give a long list of categories here. It points to a method: take it from the proper place and put it in the proper place. People searching “hadith about zakat distribution” can see that zakat is not personal wealth for collectors or rulers.
What we learn from this hadith
- Zakat collection is a trust, not a private gain.
- Collected sadaqah should be placed where it belongs.
- Imran referred back to the practice during the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم lifetime.
- A collector may be questioned, and he should answer with honesty.
