Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … The question arises: after the determination of the nisab (minimum threshold) of zakat and the rate of zakat, which crops are those upon which zakat is obligatory, and which are exempt from zakat? We discuss this issue in the following:

From Umar ibn al-Khattab radi Allahu anhu, he said: “Indeed, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam prescribed zakat only in these four: wheat, barley, raisins, and dates.” Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab radi Allahu anhu says: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam made zakat obligatory on these four types: wheat, barley, raisins, and dates. (al-Daraqutni: 201, Sahihah: 879)

Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has discussed the chain of narration of this hadith as follows: This hadith is narrated from Sayyiduna Umar radi Allahu anhu, and in its chain is Muhammad ibn Ubaydullah al-Azrami, who is “matruk” (abandoned), but there is corroboration for it, which has been narrated by Imam Daraqutni rahimahullah and Imam Hakim, that Musa ibn Talhah said: “We have the book of Mu’adh ibn Jabal from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he only took sadaqah (zakat) from wheat…” The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam took zakat from wheat and … Imam Hakim said: Musa ibn Talhah is a great Tabi‘i, and it has not been denied that he reached the time of Sayyiduna Mu‘adh radi Allahu anhu. However, Ibn Abd al-Barr said that Musa ibn Talhah neither met nor reached Sayyiduna Mu‘adh radi Allahu anhu.

But Imam Hakim has mentioned as a supporting narration with a sahih chain: The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Do not take except from these four…” Take zakat only from these four types. In light of these ahadith, the position of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu, Imam Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, Imam Hasan al-Basri, and Amir al-San‘ani and others is that among all types of agricultural produce, zakat is obligatory only on wheat, barley, dates, and raisins. Imam al-San‘ani said: The definitive and conclusive matter is that the wealth of a Muslim is inviolable, and this inviolability can only be lifted by a definitive proof; caution and other general evidences are insufficient. The second point is that the original rule is the presumption of innocence (bara’at al-dhimmah); these are two fundamental principles, and to abrogate their ruling, a definitive proof of equal strength is required. As for the matter of caution, its demand would be that zakat should not be imposed even on maize and the like, because the generality upon which such crops are included has already been specified. (Subul al-Salam: 4/36)

Whereas, the position of some scholars is that ‘ushr (one-tenth, i.e., zakat) is obligatory on every type of agricultural produce that grows from the earth. They have presented the following general verses in their favor. Allah the Exalted says: {وَآتُوا حَقَّہٗیَوْمَ حَصَادِہٖ} (Surah al-An‘am: 142) … “Pay its due on the day of its harvest.” And He also said: {مِمَّا اَخْرَجْنَا لَکُمْ مِنَ الْاَرْضِ} (Surah al-Baqarah: 267) … “Spend from what We have produced for you from the earth.” Some ahadith also indicate this generality, such as: “On what is watered by the sky and springs … a tenth … and half of a tenth.”