23/20. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 2481 — Zakah Warning for Hoarded Wealth
The One Who Withoholds zakah Due On His Wealath
Hadith About Not Paying Zakah on Wealth
Sunan an-Nasai : 2481
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 2481
أَخْبَرَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النَّضْرِ، هَاشِمُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ الَّذِي لاَ يُؤَدِّي زَكَاةَ مَالِهِ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مَالُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ شُجَاعًا أَقْرَعَ لَهُ زَبِيبَتَانِ - قَالَ - فَيَلْتَزِمُهُ أَوْ يُطَوِّقُهُ - قَالَ - يَقُولُ أَنَا كَنْزُكَ أَنَا كَنْزُكَ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said: The one who does not pay Zakah on his wealth, his wealth will appear to him on the Day of Resurrection like a bald-headed Shuja 'a [2] with two dots above its eyes. It will hold onto him or encircle him and will say: I am your hoarded treasure, I am your hoarded treasure.'
[2] See No. 2443.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 2481In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 47English translation : Vol. 3, Book 23, Hadith 2483
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 2481
This Hadith gives a serious warning about not paying Zakah on wealth. Ibn Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah said that the wealth of the one who does not give its Zakah will appear on the Day of Resurrection as a bald-headed Shuja with two dots above its eyes. It will hold onto him or encircle him and say, “I am your hoarded treasure.” The core message is clear: Zakah is not just a social duty; it is tied to accountability before Allah. The Hadith about not paying Zakah shows that wealth can become a burden when its right is withheld. It teaches Muslims to treat wealth as a trust and to give the required Zakah instead of turning it into hoarded treasure.
What we learn from this hadith
- Unpaid Zakah is described as a serious matter on the Day of Resurrection.
- Wealth should not be treated as hoarded treasure when Zakah is due on it.
- A Muslim should remember accountability when managing wealth.
- Paying Zakah protects a person from the blame connected to withholding it.
