37/1. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3975 — Withholding Zakah After the Prophet
The Prohibition of Bloodshed
Withholding Zakah and Abu Bakr's Firm Response
Sunan an-Nasai : 3975
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3975
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُؤَمَّلُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شُعَيْبُ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ، وَسُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، وَذَكَرَ، آخَرَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ فَأَجْمَعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِقِتَالِهِمْ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ كَيْفَ تُقَاتِلُ النَّاسَ وَقَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ فَإِذَا قَالُوهَا عَصَمُوا مِنِّي دِمَاءَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهَا " . قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لأُقَاتِلَنَّ مَنْ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَ الصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَاللَّهِ لَوْ مَنَعُونِي عَنَاقًا كَانُوا يُؤَدُّونَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَقَاتَلْتُهُمْ عَلَى مَنْعِهَا . قَالَ عُمَرُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا هُوَ إِلاَّ أَنْ رَأَيْتُ اللَّهَ قَدْ شَرَحَ صَدْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ لِقِتَالِهِمْ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
So Abu Bakr decided to fight them, then 'Umar said: 'O Abu Bakr, how can you fight the people when the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah, and if they say it, their blood and their wealth will be safe from me except for a right that is due.?'Abu Bakr said: 'I will fight whoever separates prayer and Zakah. By Allah, if they withhold from me a young goat that they used to give to the Messenger of Allah [SAW], I will fight them for withholding it.' 'Umar said: 'By Allah, as soon as I realized that Allah has expanded the chest of Abu Bakr to fight them, I knew that it was the truth.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3975In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 10English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 3980
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3975
This narration begins after Abu Bakr decided to fight those who had withheld their duty. Umar asked how he could fight people when the Prophet had said that saying "La ilaha illallah" protects blood and wealth except for a right that is due. Abu Bakr replied that he would fight anyone who separated prayer from Zakah. He swore that even a young goat formerly given to the Messenger of Allah would not be accepted as withheld. Umar then said he understood that Abu Bakr's decision was true. The key phrase for this hadith is "separates prayer and Zakah." Abu Bakr's argument treats Zakah as part of the due obligation, not as an optional gift. The report also records Umar's honest move from objection to agreement.
What we learn from this hadith
- Zakah is treated as an obligation, not a voluntary payment.
- Abu Bakr refused to separate prayer from Zakah.
- Umar accepted the decision when he understood its basis.
