96/2. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 7285 — Standing for Zakat
Following the Sunna of the Prophet (saws)
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا} قَالَ أَيِمَّةً نَقْتَدِي بِمَنْ قَبْلَنَا، وَيَقْتَدِي بِنَا مَنْ بَعْدَنَا. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَوْنٍ ثَلاَثٌ أُحِبُّهُنَّ لِنَفْسِي وَلإِخْوَانِي هَذِهِ السُّنَّةُ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمُوهَا وَيَسْأَلُوا عَنْهَا، وَالْقُرْآنُ أَنْ يَتَفَهَّمُوهُ وَيَسْأَلُوا عَنْهُ، وَيَدَعُوا النَّاسَ إِلاَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ.
Hadith About the Serious Duty of Zakat in Islam
Sahih Bukhari : 7285
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 7285
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ لَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَاسْتُخْلِفَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَعْدَهُ، وَكَفَرَ مَنْ كَفَرَ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ قَالَ عُمَرُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ كَيْفَ تُقَاتِلُ النَّاسَ، وَقَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ. فَمَنْ قَالَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ. عَصَمَ مِنِّي مَالَهُ وَنَفْسَهُ، إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهِ، وَحِسَابُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ ". فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لأُقَاتِلَنَّ مَنْ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَ الصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ، فَإِنَّ الزَّكَاةَ حَقُّ الْمَالِ، وَاللَّهِ لَوْ مَنَعُونِي عِقَالاً كَانُوا يُؤَدُّونَهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَقَاتَلْتُهُمْ عَلَى مَنْعِهِ. فَقَالَ عُمَرُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا هُوَ إِلاَّ أَنْ رَأَيْتُ اللَّهَ قَدْ شَرَحَ صَدْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ لِلْقِتَالِ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ. قَالَ ابْنُ بُكَيْرٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَنِ اللَّيْثِ عَنَاقًا. وَهْوَ أَصَحُّ.
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) died and Abu Bakr was elected as a Caliph after him, some of the Arabs reverted to disbelief, `Umar said to Abu Bakr, "How dare you fight the people while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, I have been ordered to fight the people till they say 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah' And whoever says: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' waves his wealth and his life from me unless he deserves a legal punishment lusty, and his account will be with Allah!Abu Bakr said, "By Allah, I will fight him who discriminates between Zakat and prayers, for Zakat is the Compulsory right to be taken from the wealth By Allah, if they refuse to give me even a tying rope which they use to give to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), I would fight them for withholding it." `Umar said, 'By Allah, It was nothing, except I saw that Allah had opened the chest of Abu Bakr to the fight, and I came to know for certain that was the truth."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7284, 7285In-book reference : Book 96, Hadith 16USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 92, Hadith 388
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 7285
This narration repeats the account of Abu Bakr and Umar after the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) passed away. Umar asked how Abu Bakr could fight people when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had mentioned protection for those who said “None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,” except by its right. Abu Bakr answered that he would fight those who separated prayer from Zakat, because Zakat is the right of wealth. He said he would not accept withholding even what they used to give to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). For readers searching for a hadith about Zakat obligation, the text shows how strongly Abu Bakr treated Zakat. Umar later recognized that this firm view was the truth.
What we learn from this hadith
- Zakat is presented as a binding right of wealth.
- The text links loyalty to Islam with both prayer and Zakat.
- Withholding Zakat was treated as a serious matter.
- Umar’s response shows recognition of truth after clear reasoning.
