عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: أَتَى رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! إِنِّي ذُو مَالٍ كَثِيرٍ وَذُو أَهْلٍ وَوَلَدٍ وَحَاضِرَةٍ، فَأَخْبِرْنِي كَيْفَ أُنْفِقُ وَكَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((تُخْرِجُ الزَّكَاةَ مِنْ مَالِكَ، فَإِنَّهَا طُهْرَةٌ تُطَهِّرُكَ، وَتَصِلُ أَقْرِبَاءَكَ وَتَعْرِفُ حَقَّ السَّائِلِ وَالْجَارِ وَالْمِسْكِينِ))، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! أَقْلِلْ لِي، قَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((فَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا))، قَالَ: حَسْبِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! إِذَا أَدَّيْتُ الزَّكَاةَ إِلَى رَسُولِكَ فَقَدْ بَرِئْتُ مِنْهَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((نَعَمْ إِذَا أَدَّيْتَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِي فَقَدْ بَرِئْتَ مِنْهَا، فَلَكَ أَجْرُهَا وَإِثْمُهَا عَلَى مَنْ بَدَّلَهَا))
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: A man from Banu Tamim came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! I am quite wealthy and I have a large family, children, and I often have many guests; now tell me how should I spend my wealth or what should I do? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Pay the zakat of your wealth, this pure act will purify you; likewise, maintain ties of kinship with your relatives, and you should also be aware of the rights of the beggar, the neighbor, and the needy. He said: O Messenger of Allah! Please clarify these matters for me briefly. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Give your relatives, the needy, and travelers their rights, and avoid extravagance. Upon hearing this, he said: O Messenger of Allah! Is it sufficient for me that when I pay zakat to your envoy, will I have fulfilled my responsibility before Allah and His Messenger? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes, when you pay zakat to my envoy, you will be absolved of it and you will receive its reward; however, whoever changes it (unlawfully), its sin will be upon him alone.