Abu Dawud

1584. English Commentary:
➊ There is gradation in the propagation of religion, the very first foundation of which is the testimony of the Oneness of Allah (Tawhid) and the Messengership (Risalah); after this come the other rulings. However, it should be kept in mind that for this, it is necessary to adopt an appropriate strategy of wisdom.
➋ The enforcement of Islamic rulings upon the disbelievers is not obligatory; rather, the first demand from them is the affirmation of Tawhid and Risalah.
➌ The opinion of the majority of jurists (fuqaha) is that the wealth of the Muslims of a particular place should be spent upon the Muslims of that same place.
➍ In the distribution of zakah, the first right belongs to close relatives and neighbors, and it should not be transferred to other cities without a significant need.
➎ The supplication (du'a) of the oppressed is accepted.

Hadith Commentary:
There are two types of tawhid (monotheism):
Tawhid al-Rububiyyah and Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah.
To acknowledge Allah as the Lord (Rabb) — this type was accepted even by most of the disbelievers and polytheists.
The meaning of the second tawhid is that all acts of worship and servitude should be performed purely for Allah alone.
The polytheists denied this, and today, most so-called Muslims are in the same state: they perform acts of worship and servitude not only for Allah but also for saints and pious elders.
Most Muslims who resemble polytheists prostrate to graves.
They make vows and offerings in the names of the elders of Islam.
In this hadith, regarding the method of preaching, it is declared necessary to first call to tawhid al-uluhiyyah, and then to preach the other pillars of Islam.
The connection of this hadith with Kitab al-Tawhid is that, in any case, tawhid al-uluhiyyah takes precedence.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
According to the theologians (Ahl al-Kalam), the first obligation upon a human being is to reflect upon the existence of Allah, which means that initially, one should be subject to doubts and suspicions in this matter, and then contemplate about it. However, according to our predecessors (salaf), the first obligation upon a human being is to strengthen the belief in the Oneness of Allah (tawhid), as is evident from the chapter heading established by Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah and the hadith he presented.

The command of Allah Almighty is:
“And indeed, We certainly sent to every nation a messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship Allah and avoid the worship of Taghut (false gods).’” (al-Nahl: 36)

Harith ibn Harith al-‘A’idhi radi Allahu anhu narrates that he came to Makkah during the time of ignorance and saw that people were gathered around the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. He asked his father: “Why have these people gathered here?” His father replied: “These people are gathered around a Sabi’ (one who has left the religion of his people).” When he went closer, he saw that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was inviting them to tawhid and faith. (al-Tarikh al-Kabir: 262/13)

In another narration: When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent Mu‘adh radi Allahu anhu to Yemen, he instructed him to invite them to the testimony (shahadatayn) and to faith in it. (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Zakah, Hadith: 1395)

The meaning of the testimony “La ilaha illallah” is that they worship only Allah alone. This is also explicitly stated in another narration. (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Zakah, Hadith: 1458)

And the meaning of the testimony “Muhammad Rasul Allah” is that they adopt the way of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in worship. They must abandon the worship of anyone besides Allah and all other ways of worship apart from the way shown by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

2.
It should be clear that there is a very deep connection between these two testimonies (shahadatayn). Neither is valid without the other. Whoever worships only Allah and does not associate anyone with Him, but does not accept the messengership of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, is outside the fold of Islam and will remain in Hell forever. Similarly, if someone accepts the messengership of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam but does not worship Allah, or while worshipping Allah associates others with Him, such a person is also outside of faith. Therefore, for a Muslim servant, it is extremely necessary to affirm both testimonies and to have faith in accordance with them. (Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid by Shaykh Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Ghunayman: 39/1)

The knowledge of Allah Almighty is the essence of the religion of Islam, and the belief in tawhid is the foundation of this knowledge. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has explained the principles and rules of this knowledge with great clarity. He has left no ambiguity or doubt regarding it. Therefore, in matters of creed, following the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam alone is sufficient. We are not in need of the opinion of any logician, the intellect of any philosopher, or the interpretation of any interpreter. The very purpose of the Messenger of Allah’s sallallahu alayhi wa sallam being sent was to proclaim tawhid, and he did not fall short in this matter in any way. Rather, he fulfilled this obligation with complete responsibility and made all his noble companions radi Allahu anhum witnesses to it. Now, for those who deviate from this, there is no excuse to resort to the disputations of logic or the intricacies of philosophy to attain knowledge of Allah Almighty.

3.
In the tenth year of Hijrah, before the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada‘), the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam selected Mu‘adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu and Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari radi Allahu anhu to invite the people of Yemen, who were neighbors to his land, to tawhid and to spread Islam, so that they would call the People of the Book residing there to tawhid and introduce them to Allah Almighty. When they become aware of this, then they should be taught the other rites of Islam.

4.
The purpose of Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah is that the first obligation upon a human being is the knowledge of his Lord, and the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has first explained this matter and invited to this belief in tawhid. Now, after this clarification, there is absolutely no need for people’s self-invented principles and rules. In this matter, one should make following the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam a safeguard for oneself. The statements of other theologians should not be considered. (Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid al-Ghunayman: 42/1)

Hadith Commentary:
In the hadith, the word "ata‘u" appeared.
Imam Bukhari, in accordance with his usual practice, has explained the word "tawwa‘at" from the Qur'an, because both share the same root. The purpose is to show that there are three linguistic forms: "taw‘a", "ta‘a", and "ata‘a", all of which have the same meaning, i.e., to be pleased, to accept.

To avoid the supplication (bad du‘a) of the oppressed means that one should not trouble anyone to the extent that he becomes oppressed and supplicates against you.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Before the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada‘), in the 9th year of Hijrah, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) appointed Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (radi Allahu anhu) as the governor of Yemen and instructed him to keep in mind the principle of gradualism when preaching, so that people would not become averse. He was to inform the inhabitants there of the rulings of Islam, make decisions according to Islamic regulations, and especially, when collecting zakat, refrain from taking their best property, as doing so is an act of injustice, and the supplication of the oppressed is certainly heard by Allah, the Exalted.

➋
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah), as per his usual practice, has provided a linguistic explanation of a Qur’anic word at the end of the hadith, which corresponds to a word in the hadith. That is, he has explained the meaning of ﴿فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُ نَفْسُهُ﴾ (al-Ma’idah: 30: 5) as “his soul became subservient to him.”

Benefits and Issues:
Relevance between the Chapter Heading and the Hadith:
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established in the chapter heading that after collecting zakah from the wealthy, it can be spent on the poor anywhere, even though the hadith presented states that wealth should be taken from the rich and distributed among the poor of the same locality. Apparently, this is what is understood from the hadith. Imam Abdullah bin Salim Absari rahimahullah says:
«قال الإسماعيلي : ظاهر حديث الباب أن الصدقة تردّ على فقراء من اخذت من أغنيائهم» [ضياء الساري، ج12، ص9]
“It is apparent from the hadith of the chapter that charity should be returned to the place from where it was taken from the wealthy.”
Ibn al-Munir says:
«اختار البخاري جواز نقل الزكوٰة من بلد المال لعموم قوله فتردّ على فقرائهم لأن ضمير يعود للمسلمين فأي فقير منهم ردت فيه الصدقة فى أى جهة كان فقد وافق عموم الحديث .» [ضياء الساري، ج12، ص9]
“That is, the issue adopted by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is that it is permissible to transfer zakah, because there is a generality that this wealth should be returned to the needy (Imam Bukhari rahimahullah) has referred the pronoun «فترد عليٰ فقرائهم» to «للمسلمين», meaning to the Muslims, i.e., wherever the poor Muslims may be, their share should be returned to them.”
The great hadith scholar, Mawlana Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah, says:
«والظاهر عندي عدم النقل الا فقد المستحقون لها أو تكون فى النقل مصلحة انفع وأهم من عدمه والله تعالىٰ اعلم» [مرعاة، ج3، ص4]
“That is, in my view, it is apparent that the wealth should not be transferred to another place unless the deserving people are intended or there is some benefit in the transfer.”
This is also the view of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, that transferring zakah is permissible; he accepts this matter without any condition, as is clear from the chapter heading, while Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah considers it conditional. However, there is agreement regarding the permissibility of transferring zakah. For further details, see the book of Allamah Qadi Shawkani rahimahullah [السيل الجرار، ج1، ص832] [فقه الزكاة للقرضاوي، ج2، ص 809۔ 820 الفصل الرابع : نقل الزكاة إلى غير بلد المال].
Therefore, the relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith is as follows: Is it permissible to transfer zakah? The permissibility is preferred over its prohibition. It is also said that when there is a severe need for zakah in another city, then transferring it is also permissible. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has adopted the absolute permissibility, that “zakah should be given to the poor” means every needy person who is a Muslim.
Imam Kirmani rahimahullah says:
The statement of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah «حيث كانوا» (wherever they may be) apparently indicates that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s intent is to state the prohibition.
That is, the wealth collected from the rich of a place should be distributed among the poor of the same place, except when transferring it is permissible (i.e., if there are more needy and poor Muslims in another place). [شرح الكرماني، ج8، ص39]
While giving the relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith, Muhammad Zakariya Kandhlawi rahimahullah writes:
«اصل الخلاف فى أن الشراح الشافعية مالوا إلى أن مرجع ضمير حيث كانوا الأغنياء والشراح الحنفية مالوا إلى أن المرجع الفقراء» [الأبواب والتراجم لصحيح البخاري، ج3، ص292]
The real difference is that those commentators who are Shafi’is have referred the pronoun of «حيث كانوا» to the wealthy, and those commentators who are Hanafis have referred its pronoun to the needy.
Therefore, the intent of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah seems to be that the wealth should reach the Muslim poor wherever they may be. From here arises the relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith. For more, see: [المتواري على أبواب البخاري، ص123]

Hadith Commentary:
Under this hadith, Mawlana Ubaidullah Sahib Shaykh al-Hadith rahimahullah states:
“Hafiz (Ibn Hajar) said: It is deduced from this that the Imam who is responsible for collecting and distributing zakat, whether he does so himself or through his deputy, if someone refuses to pay it, it will be taken from him by force.” That is, Hafiz Ibn Hajar took evidence from the phrase “it is taken from their wealthy” in this hadith that zakat will be collected by the Imam of the time.
And he alone will spend it in its rightful avenues.
He may do this himself or have his deputy do it.
If someone does not give zakat to him, he will forcibly collect it from him.
Some people have taken this to refer specifically to zakat on livestock, and have considered the payment of zakat on gold and silver to be optional.
“If he pays their zakat secretly, it suffices for Allah.”
But Hazrat Mawlana Ubaidullah mad zilluhu states:
“And what is apparent to me is that the authority of the Imam to collect applies to both apparent and hidden wealth. If there is no Imam, then the owner himself distributes it in its rightful avenues. This has been thoroughly established by Shawkani in al-Sayl al-Jarrar in such detail that nothing more can be added. Whoever wishes may refer to it.”
That is, in my view, the authority of the Imam of the time is necessary for all types of wealth, both apparent and hidden.
And if there is no Imam (as in the present era, when there is no Imam, Khalifah of the Muslims),
then the owner has the authority to spend the zakat wealth himself in its rightful avenues. This issue has been written in great detail by Imam Shawkani in al-Sayl al-Jarrar, beyond which nothing more is possible.
Whoever wishes may refer to it.
As for the issue of whether it is permissible to transfer zakat wealth to other cities or not, the position of Hazrat Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is also evident from this chapter, that it can be spent on Muslim poor wherever they may be.
According to Hazrat Imam rahimahullah:
The pronoun in “it is returned to their poor” refers back to the people of Islam.
Ibn al-Munir said: “Bukhari chose the permissibility of transferring zakat from the city of the wealth due to the generality of the statement ‘so it is returned to their poor,’ because the pronoun refers to the Muslims. So, whichever poor person among them the charity is given to, in whatever place, it conforms to the generality of the hadith.” End quote.
The great hadith scholar Mawlana Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah states:
“And what is apparent to me is that zakat should not be transferred except when the deserving recipients are absent, or when there is a greater and more important benefit in transferring it. And Allah Ta’ala knows best.” (Mir’aat, vol. 3, p. 4)
That is, zakat should not be transferred unless the deserving recipients are absent, or there is greater benefit in transferring it.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In this hadith, the words are mentioned that zakat should be collected from the wealthy and distributed among their poor.
It is said regarding Imam Bukhari rahimahullah that he considers these words to be general, meaning that zakat of one country can be sent to another country.
However, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah does not hold this position in an absolute sense.
According to him, if there are no eligible recipients (mustahiqeen) in that city, then it can be transferred to another city, because he has indicated with the words (haythu kanu) that zakat should not be transferred to another country while there are eligible recipients present there.
If someone distributes zakat among the poor of another country, then according to most scholars, it is not preferable, though there is no dispute regarding its permissibility.

(2)
According to us, in view of necessity and benefit, zakat wealth can be spent in another city; however, in normal circumstances, it is better that zakat collected from an area be distributed among the poor of that same area.
As is evident from the following ahadith:
It is narrated from Abu Juhaifah radi Allahu anhu that a zakat collector from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to us, and he collected zakat from our wealthy and distributed it among our poor.
(Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Zakat, Hadith: 649)
‘Imran ibn Husayn radi Allahu anhu was appointed to collect zakat. When he returned, he was asked, “Where is the zakat wealth?” He replied, “We took the wealth from where we used to take it during the time of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and we distributed it where we used to distribute it during the time of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Zakat, Hadith: 1625)

(3)
It should be clear that the addressees of this hadith are Muslims; therefore, zakat wealth should not be spent on non-Muslims.
()

Hadith Commentary:
The meaning of distributing among their poor is that it should be given to the poor of their own country.
According to this meaning, sending the zakat of one country to the poor of another country has been declared impermissible.
However, the majority of scholars say that what is meant is the poor Muslims, wherever they may be and whichever country they belong to.
According to this meaning, sending zakat to another country is considered permissible.
The correspondence between the hadith and the chapter is evident.
Hazrat Maulana Ubaidullah Sahib (may Allah protect him) says:
And our Shaykh said in the commentary of Tirmidhi: "And what is apparent to me is that zakat should not be transferred except if those entitled to it are not found there, or if there is a greater and more important benefit in transferring it than in not transferring it. And Allah Ta'ala knows best."
(Mirqat)
That is, our Shaykh, Maulana Abdur Rahman, states in the commentary of Tirmidhi that, in my view, it is apparent that zakat should only be sent from there to another place if there are no deserving people there, or if there is some benefit in transferring it, or if it is very important and more beneficial, such that this benefit cannot be achieved if it is not sent.
In such a situation, zakat can be transferred to another place.

Hadith Commentary:
In the hadith, taking people’s best property in an absolute sense has been prohibited, whereas in the heading, this has been restricted specifically to charity (sadaqah), because the context and sequence of the discourse pertain to charity. Therefore, it is prohibited to take people’s best property when collecting charity (sadaqah).

Although the intention here is to show sympathy towards the poor, it is not permissible in Shariah to oppress the wealthy by forcibly taking their best property in order to show sympathy to the destitute.

Most likely for this reason, in some narrations of this hadith, it is mentioned: Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is nothing between his cry and Allah that acts as a barrier, meaning that such a supplication is immediately granted acceptance in the presence of Allah.

Lexical Explanation:
«تَوَقَّ» means "children."
«كَرَائِمَ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ» means "the valuable wealth of people."
«كَرَائِم» is the plural of «كَرِيْمَة», meaning precious and valuable wealth.

Understanding the Hadith:
From this hadith, it is understood that gradualism should be observed in the process of invitation and propagation (da'wah and tabligh). First, the most essential matter, that is, the call to tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and other matters of faith (iman), should be given, and then the call to prayer (salah) and zakat.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Upon returning from the Battle of Tabuk in 9 AH, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent Mu'adh ibn Jabal and Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (radi Allahu anhuma) to Yemen. Mu'adh (radi Allahu anhu) was appointed as the judge there, and his additional responsibility was to collect charity and alms from the officials appointed by the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). He appointed five individuals in Yemen as collectors. The region of Sana'a was entrusted to Khalid ibn Sa'id (radi Allahu anhu), and Muhajir ibn Abi Umayyah (radi Allahu anhu) was assigned to Kindah. The responsibility for Hadramawt was given to Ziyad ibn Labid (radi Allahu anhu), and Mu'adh (radi Allahu anhu) was appointed over Jandal, while the regions of Zubaid, Aden, and the coast were under the supervision of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (radi Allahu anhu). (Umdat al-Qari: 6/323)

(2)
Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah) has presented this hadith as evidence for the obligation of zakat. It is explicitly stated in it that Allah, the Exalted, has made charity from their wealth obligatory upon them. In this hadith, the term "charity" (sadaqah) is applied to zakat, just as in the Noble Qur'an, where it is stated that alms (sadaqat) are for the poor and needy. () By "alms" (sadaqat), what is meant is the wealth of zakat. In any case, paying zakat is obligatory, and its denial is disbelief.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:

(1)
According to the research of Imam Bukhari and others, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu as governor to Yemen in the year 10 Hijri, and according to most scholars of Seerah and the experts in Maghazi, in the year 9 Hijri.

(2)
In teaching the religion and inviting to Islam, the teacher and caller (da‘i) should observe order and gradualness, and should not present all the rulings, requirements, and commands and prohibitions of the religion to people all at once. The order of importance and greater importance should be kept in view.

(3)
The foundation and basis of the religion is tawhid (monotheism) and risalah (messengership), therefore, their invitation should be given first. Because as long as a person does not acknowledge Allah ta‘ala, how will he accept the Messenger and his religion and Shari‘ah? Only after affirming Allah’s divinity does the motivation arise to accept messengership and the religion and Shari‘ah.

(4)
After the affirmation of tawhid and risalah, among the pillars and obligations of Islam, prayer (salah) and zakat hold the greatest importance. And in the Noble Qur’an, the greatest emphasis is placed on these two. In the narration of Abdullah ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhuma, which is coming ahead, these two are also mentioned, because prayer is the foundation for fulfilling all the rights of Allah, and zakat is the basis for fulfilling all the rights of the servants. Therefore, for the person who adheres to these two, it becomes easy to fulfill all the pillars and obligations of Islam.

(5)
At the time of collecting zakat, the most precious and best items from people’s wealth (whether produce or livestock) will not be taken, rather, wealth of average quality will be collected and distributed among the needy Muslims.

(6)
Committing oppression and injustice against anyone is extremely forbidden (haram). Nothing stands between the acceptance of the supplication of the oppressed. Even if the oppressed person is engaged in sin and transgression, his supplication against the oppressor is accepted.

(7)
Having faith in the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and following the Shari‘ah he brought is necessary even for the People of the Book who believed in the previous prophets before him. Remaining upon their previous religions is not sufficient for their salvation.

Hadith Gloss:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Shara’i‘:
Plural of shari‘ah,
command,
law,
regulation.
(2)
Aghniya’:
Plural of ghaniyy,
wealthy,
people of means and affluence.
(3)
Fuqara’:
Plural of faqir,
needy,
destitute.
(4)
Kara’im:
Plural of karimah, meaning precious,
excellent,
the best,
amwal is the plural of mal (wealth/property).

English Commentary:
1:
From this, it is understood that the zakat collected from a particular place should be distributed among the needy and destitute of that same locality. If, after distributing to the local poor, some zakat remains, then it may be transferred to other regions. Apparently, this is what is established from this hadith. However, Imam Bukhari, in his Sahih, has established a chapter entitled, "Taking charity from the wealthy and returning it to the poor wherever they may be," and under this chapter, he has mentioned this very hadith and referred the pronoun "their" in ((فُقَرَائِهِمْ)) back to "Muslims," meaning that any needy person among the Muslims may be given zakat, regardless of where he is from.

2:
By "Sanabihi" is meant Sanabih ibn Asar al-Ahmasi, who is a Companion of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

The fundamental principle is that zakat should be distributed within the same locality, except in cases where it is surplus or there are others elsewhere who are more deserving. Especially, sadaqat al-fitr should be distributed in one’s own locality, because its amount is small. It will not suffice for the needs of the local deserving people, and moreover, it is a timely charity so that the poor may also participate in Eid without worry. In contrast, zakat is an ongoing fund and its avenues of expenditure are broader, for example: fi sabilillah (in the cause of Allah), therefore, it sometimes becomes necessary to transfer it elsewhere. (For further discussions, see Hadith: 2437)

(1) The journey of Mu'adh radi Allahu anhu to Yemen took place in the 9th or 10th year of Hijrah. He remained there until the era of Umar radi Allahu anhu.

(2) "People of the Book": A large number of Jews resided in Yemen.

(3) "If they accept this from you": All the rulings of the Shari'ah become applicable as soon as one embraces Islam, but prayer (salah) is obligatory five times in the day and night, whereas zakah is obligatory annually. That is why it was stated in this manner. Otherwise, it does not mean that if someone does not pray, zakah is not obligatory upon him.

(4) "Their own needy": The foremost recipients of zakah are the people of that region, except if the zakah is surplus or others are more needy than them.

(5) It is not permissible to give zakah to a disbeliever.

(6) Zakah is obligatory on the wealth of a child and an insane person as well, because the hadith is general and includes all wealthy Muslims.

(7) "Beware of the supplication of the oppressed": That is, do not oppress anyone, because if the oppressed supplicates, his supplication will certainly be accepted, even if he himself is sinful. Thus, oppression is the greatest sin, which surpasses other sins.

(8) In this narration, there is no mention of Hajj and fasting. It is possible that a narrator summarized it, or only the most important pillars were mentioned. Islam is not accepted without prayer. By giving zakah, obedience to the Islamic government is established. Hajj and fasting do not have this status because they are personal acts of worship. This is also supported by the Noble Qur'an: The Divine command is: ﴿فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْ﴾ (al-Tawbah: 9:5) "Then if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then leave their way (do not harm them)."

Benefits and Issues:

➊
Mu'awiyah (radi Allahu anhu) was appointed as the governor of Yemen before the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada') in the 10th year of Hijrah. Mu'adh ibn Jabal (radi Allahu anhu) was the governor of one part of Yemen, and Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (radi Allahu anhu) was the governor of another part. (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Maghazi, Chapter: The Dispatch of Abu Musa and Mu'adh to Yemen before the Farewell Pilgrimage, Hadith: 4342, 4341)

➋
By "People of the Book" is meant the Jews. At that time, a large number of Jews resided in Yemen.

➌
When inviting non-Muslims to Islam, the most important issue to emphasize is the matter of tawhid (monotheism).

➍
Affirmation of tawhid (monotheism) and risalah (prophethood) is the fundamental condition for entering Islam; without this, no person can be considered a Muslim.

➎
Among acts of worship, prayer (salah) and zakah (obligatory charity) are the most important.

➏
Zakah is collected from Muslims; from non-Muslims, an alternative tax is collected, which is determined more or less according to each person's circumstances. This is called jizyah.

➐
Zakah is distributed only among eligible Muslims. From among non-Muslims, only that non-Muslim may be given something from zakah for whom there is hope that, if given the opportunity to come closer to Muslims, he may incline towards Islam and perhaps even accept Islam. Such people are called mu'allafatu al-qulub.

➑
The zakah collected from the Muslims of a particular region should first be distributed among the deserving individuals of that region. If, after fulfilling their needs, some wealth remains, then it may be distributed among the Muslims of another region.

➒
When collecting zakah, neither should the best animals be selected, nor the worst; rather, animals of average quality should be taken.

➓
Those who are newly entering Islam should be gradually accustomed to practicing Islamic teachings. One should not attempt to impose the burden of all rulings at once.

⓫
Through preaching and explanation, efforts should be made so that the general public willingly acts upon the commands of Islam, and their hearts, recognizing the importance of Islamic teachings, act upon them with love.

⓬
To establish peace and security in the country, the rights of the subjects must be fulfilled with justice and fairness.

⓭
To avoid the supplication (du'a) of the oppressed means to refrain from oppression and to ensure that the oppressed receive their rights from the oppressor, because if the oppressed does not receive his right from the ruler, a supplication will come from his heart.

⓮
The supplication of the oppressed is quickly accepted; similarly, when the oppressed is given relief and becomes pleased and makes supplication, that too is quickly accepted.

Lexical Explanation:
«كِتَابُ الزَّكَاهِ» in language means «زكاة», to increase and to purify. «زكاة» is also given this name because it purifies wealth and cleanses the owner of wealth from sins, and it increases the wealth of the one who gives zakat, as well as increases his reward and recompense. There is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding the date of its obligation. The majority of scholars say that it was made obligatory in the 2nd year of Hijrah, before the obligation of Ramadan, while some researchers believe that it was made obligatory in Makkah itself, but its detailed rulings were revealed in Madinah in the 2nd year of Hijrah.
«بَعَثَ مُعَاذَا إلَي الْيَمَنِ» In the 10th year of Hijrah, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu as a judge or collector to the people of Yemen. According to one opinion, this was at the end of the 9th year of Hijrah, and according to a third opinion, he was sent in the 8th year of Hijrah. Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu remained in Yemen until the caliphate of Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu. Then he returned and headed towards Syria and passed away in the “Plague of ‘Amwas.”
«فَذَكَرْ الْحَدِيثَ» In this lengthy hadith, there was an instruction for Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu regarding how he should treat the people of Yemen.
«اِفْتَرَضَ» is about what is obligatory and compulsory.
«فَتُردُّ» In this, “fa” is for sequence, meaning that after collection, it should be distributed among the poor. «رَدّ» is a passive verb derived from it.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ From this hadith, it is understood that from the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the collection of zakat and its disbursement were organized at the governmental level.
➋ This hadith also shows that zakat collected from a place should be distributed among the needy and destitute of that same place; however, if there is surplus after fulfilling the needs of the local poor, then zakat may be sent to other areas.
➌ Paying zakat is obligatory upon those who possess the minimum amount (sahib nisab), and delivering it to those who are deserving is their responsibility. By fulfilling this obligation, no favor is done to anyone; rather, one is simply discharging one's duty. Similarly, the wealth of zakat is the right of the poor; they are receiving their right and are not under anyone’s favor. Just as performing prayer (salah) and fasting (sawm) are a person’s responsibilities and are the rights of Allah, and by performing them, the one who prays or fasts does not do a favor to Allah but fulfills his responsibility and gives Allah His right, in the same way, zakat is the right of the poor, which must be delivered to them, and this is not a favor upon them.