90/3. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6956 — Obligatory Worship and Zakat
(Tricks) in Zakat
Hadith About Five Prayers, Ramadan Fasting, and Zakat
Sahih Bukhari : 6956
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6956
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا، جَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثَائِرَ الرَّأْسِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي مَاذَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ " الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسَ، إِلاَّ أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ شَيْئًا ". فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي بِمَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ مِنَ الصِّيَامِ قَالَ " شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ، إِلاَّ أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ شَيْئًا ". قَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي بِمَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ قَالَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَرَائِعَ الإِسْلاَمِ. قَالَ وَالَّذِي أَكْرَمَكَ لاَ أَتَطَوَّعُ شَيْئًا وَلاَ أَنْقُصُ مِمَّا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ شَيْئًا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَفْلَحَ إِنْ صَدَقَ ". أَوْ " دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِنْ صَدَقَ ". وَقَالَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ فِي عِشْرِينَ وَمِائَةِ بَعِيرٍ حِقَّتَانِ. فَإِنْ أَهْلَكَهَا مُتَعَمِّدًا، أَوْ وَهَبَهَا أَوِ احْتَالَ فِيهَا فِرَارًا مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ، فَلاَ شَىْءَ عَلَيْهِ.
Talha bin 'Ubaidullah Narrated from:
A bedouin with unkempt hair came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Tell me what Allah has enjoined on me as regards prayers." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You have to offer perfectly the five (compulsory) prayers in a day and a night (24 hrs.), except if you want to perform some extra optional prayers." The bedouin said, "Tell me what Allah has enjoined on me as regards fasting." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You have to observe fast during the month of Ramadan except if you fast some extra optional fast."The bedouin said, "Tell me what Allah has enjoined on me as regard Zakat." The Prophet (ﷺ) then told him the Islamic laws and regulations whereupon the bedouin said, "By Him Who has honored you, I will not perform any optional deeds of worship and I will not leave anything of what Allah has enjoined on me." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "He will be successful if he has told the truth (or he will enter Paradise if he said the truth)."And some people said, "The Zakat for one-hundred and twenty camels is two Hiqqas, and if the Zakat payer slaughters the camels intentionally or gives them as a present or plays some other trick in order to avoid the Zakat, then there is no harm (in it) for him.
[1] Iqamat-aṣ-Ṣalāt : See the glossary.(2) Al-Hiqqa is a she-camel that has completed its third year in age.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6956In-book reference : Book 90, Hadith 4USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 86, Hadith 88
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6956
This Hadith shows a Bedouin asking the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about the duties Allah had placed on him. He asked about prayer, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told him about the five compulsory prayers, with optional prayer left as extra. He asked about fasting, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told him about fasting in Ramadan, with optional fasts as extra. He asked about Zakat, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught him the Islamic laws and regulations. The man promised not to add optional acts and not to leave any obligation. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said he would be successful if he spoke the truth, or enter Paradise if truthful. The text also mentions a statement about tricks to avoid Zakat, so the Hadith connects duties with honesty.
What we learn from this hadith
- The five daily prayers are presented as compulsory.
- Fasting Ramadan is presented as compulsory.
- Zakat is part of the duties taught by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- Truthfulness in keeping obligations is praised in the text.
