It is obligatory to give one-tenth from wheat, barley, maize, dates, and raisins.
It is necessary to pay zakat (one-tenth) or half zakat (one-twentieth) on agricultural produce. The evidence for its legitimacy is as follows:
➊ Allah Almighty says:
وَآتُوا حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ [Al-An’am: 141]
“Give its due on the day of its harvest.”
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
فيما سقت السماء والعيون أو كان عثريا العشر ، وما سقى بالنضح نصف العشر
“The land which is irrigated by the sky or by a spring or is naturally moist, its produce has a zakat of one-tenth, and the land irrigated by drawing water from a well has a zakat of one-twentieth.”
[Bukhari: 1483, Book of Zakat: Chapter on one-tenth on what is irrigated by rainwater and flowing water, Abu Dawood: 1596, Tirmidhi: 635, Nasa’i: 41/5, Ibn Majah: 1817, Bayhaqi: 130/4, Ibn Khuzaymah: 2307]
➌ It is obligatory to pay one-tenth or one-twentieth on the produce obtained from the land, and the Ummah has reached consensus on this.
[Al-Mughni: 154/4, Bada’i’ al-Sana’i’: 54/2, Fiqh al-Zakat: 448/1]
Imam Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) and others who have adopted this position base their argument on the following hadith:
Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered them:
لا تاخذا فى الصدقة إلا من هذه الأصناف الأربعة: الشعير، والحنطة ، والزبيب ، والتمر
“Do not collect zakat on any grain except barley, wheat, raisins, and dates.”
[Sahih: Tamam al-Minnah: p. 369, Tabarani Kabir as in Al-Majma’: 75/3, Mustadrak Hakim: 401/1, Imam Haithami said its narrators are authentic, Imam Hakim declared its chain authentic, Imam Dhahabi agreed with it, Imam Zail’i confirmed it, Nasb al-Rayah: 389/2, Sheikh Muhammad Subhi Hallaq graded it Hasan, Ta’liq ‘ala Sabil al-Islam: 41/3]
In the narration of Sunan Ibn Majah, the word الذرة “maize” is more frequent, but this narration is weak.
[Weak: Da’if Ibn Majah: 400, Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 801]
It is understood that only these four types are established; therefore, zakat will be taken only from them. Since the original presumption is innocence and a Muslim’s wealth is forbidden, only that which is proven by definitive evidence can be taken, and the evidence only establishes these four items; hence, only these will be relied upon.
(Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them) holds this view. Imam Ibn Mubarak, Imam Hasan, Imam Ibn Sirin, and Imam Shu’bi, etc., also hold this view. Also, from Imam Ahmad, this view is narrated in one narration.
[Al-Mughni: 156/4]
(Amir San’ani) holds the same view.
[Sabil al-Salam: 814/2]
(Al-Albani) prefers this view.
[Tamam al-Minnah: p. 368]
(Ibn Mundhir, Ibn Abd al-Barr) Scholars have reached consensus that zakat is obligatory on wheat, barley, dates, and raisins.
[Al-Mughni: 154/4]
(Shawkani) probably referred to the fifth type (i.e., maize), which is why in his other book “Al-Sail al-Jarrar” he only mentioned the four types.
[Al-Sail al-Jarrar: 43/2]
Scholars have differed on this issue.
(Malik, Shafi’i, Ahmad) say zakat is only on such crops and fruits that are edible and storable. Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad also hold this view.
(Abu Hanifa) says zakat is obligatory on everything that the land produces except wood, grass, and bamboo.
[Al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuh: 1884/3, Fath al-Qadeer: 2/2, Al-Lubab: 151/1, Al-Sharh al-Kabeer: 447/1, Al-Sharh al-Sagheer: 609/1, Al-Qawanin al-Fiqhiyyah: p. 105, Mughni al-Muhtaj: 281/1, Al-Muhadhdhab: 156/1, Al-Mughni: 690/2, Kashaf al-Qina’: 236/2, Al-Majmu’: 432/5]
(Yusuf Qaradawi) Abu Hanifa’s school is stronger.
[Fiqh al-Zakat: 355/1]
(Strong view) The above hadith, which commands zakat only on four types, although Sheikh Albani and some other scholars have considered it authentic, in reality, it is not established because Abu Hudhayfah, the narrator, is trustworthy but weak in memorization, Sufyan Thawri is a muddler in narration, and Talhah bin Yahya is disputed. Also, the narrations used by Sheikh Albani to prove this hadith are either mursal (missing link) or weak or not of this meaning.
[For more details see: Irwa’ al-Ghalil: under hadith /801, Nasb al-Rayah: 386/2]
According to our knowledge, since this narration is not established, due to general evidence, zakat is obligatory on every agricultural produce once it reaches the nisab. والله اعلم and its evidence are as follows:
➊ وَآتُوا حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ [Al-An’am: 142]
“Give its due on the day of harvest.”
➋ مِمَّا أَخْرَجْنَا لَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ [Al-Baqarah: 267]
“Spend from what We have produced for you from the earth.”
➌ فيما سقت السماء …. العشر
“The land irrigated by rainwater has a zakat of one-tenth.”
[Bukhari: 1483, Book of Zakat: Chapter on one-tenth on what is irrigated by rainwater and flowing water, Abu Dawood: 1596]
➍ ليس فى ما دون خمسة أو ساق من تمر ولا حب صدقة
“There is no sadaqah on dates or grain less than five wasq.”
[Muslim: 1627, Book of Zakat: Chapter, Darimi: 1578, Muwatta: 513]
Crops irrigated by channels, etc., have one-twentieth zakat obligatory.
It is narrated from Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
فيما سقت الأنهار والغيم العشورو فيما سقى بالسانية نصف العشر
“Lands irrigated by canals and rainwater will have one-tenth taken, and lands irrigated by animals bringing water will have one-twentieth.”
[Muslim: 981, Book of Zakat: Chapter on one-tenth or half one-tenth, Abu Dawood: 1597, Nasa’i: 41/5, Ibn Khuzaymah: 2309, Dar Qutni: 130/2, Bayhaqi: 130/4]
In one narration, the words are: او كان بعلا العشر “Or the land is irrigated by ground moisture without rain, then it has one-tenth (Ba’la is a substitute for ‘Uthri).”
[Sahih: Sahih Abu Dawood: 1411, Book of Zakat: Chapter on charity on crops, Abu Dawood: 1596, Nasa’i: 2488]
(Nawawi) agrees on this issue.
[Sharh Muslim: 61/4]
It is understood that if the land is irrigated by a means that requires no or little effort, such as rain, dew, hail, ground moisture, springs, etc., then one-tenth zakat is obligatory. But if it is irrigated by a laborious means, such as camels, oxen, or humans bringing water, or from wells or tube wells, or by purchasing water, or as nowadays paying a fixed amount to irrigate crops with canal water, then in all these cases, one-twentieth zakat is obligatory.
Its nisab is five wasq, approximately twenty mann.
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
ليس فيما دون خمسة أو سق صدقة
“There is no zakat on less than five wasq (of grain).”
[Bukhari: 1447, Book of Zakat: Chapter on zakat of leaves, Muslim: 979, Abu Dawood: 1558, Tirmidhi: 622, Nasa’i: 17/5, Ibn Majah: 1793, Muwatta: 2441, Ahmad: 6/3]
This hadith specifies the general hadith فيما سقت السماء العشر, so zakat is not obligatory on less than five wasq of grain.
(The majority) hold this view.
(Abu Hanifa) says zakat is obligatory on any amount less or more than five wasq.
[Al-Hawi: 210/3, Al-Um: 40/2, Al-Mughni: 61/4, Al-Kafi Ibn Abd al-Barr: p. 101, Al-Mabsut: 3/3, Bada’i’ al-Sana’i’: 60/2]
He says the general indication is definitive, and definitive general texts cannot be restricted by speculative evidence. In response, Imam Shawkani says both the general and specific are speculative, and the specific is stronger in terms of indication and chains. Elsewhere, he says that applying the general over the specific is agreed upon by the Imams of Usul. Therefore, if someone says otherwise out of ignorance, how can he be a mujtahid? And if he says so knowingly, then a correct argument is established against him.
[Al-Sail al-Jarrar: 42/2, Nayl al-Awtar: 98/3]
(Ibn Hazm) says there is no zakat on less than five wasq.
[Al-Muhalla bil Athar: 58/4]
(Ibn Mundhir) Except for Imam Abu Hanifa’s view, there is consensus that zakat is not obligatory on less than five wasq of grain.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 98/3]
(Ibn Qudamah) No zakat on less than five wasq.
[Al-Mughni: 161/4]
(Ibn Qayyim) supports this view.
[I’lam al-Muwaqqi’in: 348/2]
◈ One wasq equals sixty (60) sa’ (a measure), one sa’ contains four mudd, one mudd equals one ratl and one-third ratl.
According to modern measurements, one sa’ is approximately 2.5 kilograms, and one wasq is about four mann, so five wasq equals twenty mann in weight.
No zakat on vegetables, etc.
The following evidence is used to support this view:
➊ Ata bin Saib said:
أراد عبدالله بن مغيرة أن ياخذ من أرض موسى ابن طلحه من الخضروات صدقة
“Abdullah bin Mughirah intended to take zakat on vegetables from the land of Musa bin Talhah,” but Musa bin Talhah said you cannot do that because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
ليس فى ذلك صدقة
“There is no zakat on it.”
[Dar Qutni: 97/2, Hafiz Ibn Hajar states that this narration is mursal. Talkhis al-Habeer: 321/2]
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) exempted cucumber, small cucumber, watermelon, pomegranate, and sugarcane from zakat.
[Dar Qutni: 97/2, Hakim: 401/1, Tabarani Kabir: 151/20, Hafiz Ibn Hajar notes weakness and discontinuity in this narration. Talkhis al-Habeer: 321/2]
➌ It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
ليس فى الخضروات صدقة
“There is no zakat on vegetables.”
[Dar Qutni: 96/2, Imam Dar Qutni said the narrator Marwan Sanjari is weak.]
(Strong view) Since these and similar narrations are weak and not authoritative, Imam Shawkani’s position is not established. Moreover, general evidence proves that zakat is obligatory on every agricultural produce once it reaches nisab, including vegetables. والله اعلم
Estimating fruits on trees
It is legitimate to send zakat collectors to estimate grapes and fresh dates on trees, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) to estimate the dates of the people of Khaybar after the conquest.
[Sahih: Sahih Ibn Majah: 1473, Book of Zakat: Chapter on estimating dates and grapes, Ibn Majah: 1820]
Estimation means that when the grapes and dates become sweet, a cursory glance is taken over all the fruit, then an estimate is made of how much quantity and weight will remain when the grapes or dates dry.
(Malik, Shafi’i) say estimation is permissible.
(Abu Hanifa) says it is not permissible because it involves knowledge of the unseen.
[Al-Kafi Ibn Abd al-Barr: p. 101, Al-Mughni: 178/4, Al-Um: 42/2, Al-Hawi: 220/3, Al-Hujjah ‘ala Ahl al-Madina: 510/1, Nayl al-Awtar: 102/3]
One-tenth zakat is obligatory on honey
➊ Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said about the Prophet (peace be upon him):
أنه أخذ من العسل العشر
“He took one-tenth from honey.”
[Hasan Sahih: Sahih Ibn Majah: 1477, Book of Zakat: Chapter on zakat of honey, Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 810, Sahih Abu Dawood: 1424, Ibn Majah: 1824]
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Sayyarah Mani (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: O Messenger of Allah! I have honey bees, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
أد العشر
“Give one-tenth.”
[Hasan: Sahih Ibn Majah: 1476 also, Ibn Majah: 1823, Ahmad: 246/4, Bayhaqi: 126/4]
➌ It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said about honey:
فى كل عشرة أزقاق زق
“One out of every ten musk (a measure) is zakat.”
[Sahih: Sahih Tirmidhi: 514, Book of Zakat: Chapter on zakat of honey, Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 286/3, Tirmidhi: 669]
(Yusuf Qaradawi) The stronger view is that zakat is obligatory on honey.
[Fiqh al-Zakat: 426/1]
(Ahmad) says one-tenth zakat on honey.
(Abu Hanifa) says if the bees are on land where zakat is obligatory, then zakat is due; otherwise, not.
(Malik, Shafi’i) say there is no zakat on honey.
[Al-Mughni Ibn Qudamah: 183/4]
(Ibn Hazm) says no zakat on honey.
[Al-Muhalla bil Athar: 39/4]
(Bukhari) says that Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz did not consider zakat on honey obligatory.
[Bukhari: before hadith/1483, Book of Zakat: Chapter on one-tenth on what is irrigated by rainwater and flowing water]
(Al-Albani) says hadiths have been narrated about zakat on honey, and the best among them is the hadith narrated by Amr bin Shu’ayb from his father from his grandfather.
[Tamam al-Minnah: p. 354]
(Strong view) The previous authentic hadiths establish zakat on honey, and it is included in the generality of this verse مما أخرجنا لكم من الأرض because bees obtain it from the crops of the land and make honey.
Giving zakat before its due time is also permissible
It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that:
ان العباس سأل النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فى تعجيل صدقته قبل أن تحل فرخص له فى ذلك
“Hazrat Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) whether zakat can be given before its due time, and he permitted it.”
[Hasan: Sahih Abu Dawood: 1430, Book of Zakat: Chapter on hastening zakat, Abu Dawood: 1624, Tirmidhi: 673, Ibn Majah: 1795, Ahmad: 104/1, Darimi: 385/1, Bayhaqi: 11/4]
(Shafi’i, Ahmad, Abu Hanifa) say it is permissible to give zakat before the time (i.e., before the year passes).
(Malik) says it is not permissible.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 109/3]
(Ibn Qudamah) says zakat can be given before the time.
[Al-Mughni: 79/4]
(Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri) holds the same view.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwazi: 402/3]
(Ibn Hazm) says it is not permissible to give zakat before the time.
[Al-Muhalla bil Athar: 213/4]
(Ibn Baz) says it is permissible to give zakat before the time.
[Al-Fatawa al-Islamiyyah: 571/2]
The ruler of the time must spend the zakat collected from the rich in that place on the poor of that place only
➊ In the hadith mentioning Hazrat Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) being sent to Yemen, it is stated:
توخذ من أغنيائهم فترد على فقرائهم
“(Zakat) will be collected from their rich and distributed among their needy.”
[Bukhari: 1458, Book of Zakat: Chapter on not taking people’s wealth as charity, Muslim: 19, Abu Dawood: 1584, Tirmidhi: 265, Nasa’i: 2435, Ibn Majah: 1783]
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Juhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a person came to them to collect zakat on behalf of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him):
فأخذ الصدقة من أغنيائنا فجعلها فى فقرائنا
“So he collected zakat from our rich and distributed it among our poor.”
[Weak: Weak Tirmidhi: 99, Book of Zakat: Chapter on charity taken from the rich and returned to the poor, Tirmidhi: 649, Ibn Khuzaymah: 2632, Sheikh Subhi Hallaq graded it Hasan, Ta’liq ‘ala Rawdat al-Nadiyyah: 491/1]
➌ Hazrat Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) was appointed as a collector of zakat. When he returned, he was asked about the wealth. He replied: Were you sent to collect wealth?
أخذناه من حيث كنا ناخذه على عهد رسول الله ووضعناه حيث كنا نضعه
“We took wealth from where it was taken during the time of the Messenger of Allah and distributed it where it was distributed during the time of the Messenger of Allah.”
[Sahih: Sahih Ibn Majah: 1467, Sahih Abu Dawood: 1431, Book of Zakat: Chapter on carrying zakat from one land to another, Abu Dawood: 1625, Ibn Majah: 1811]
(The majority, Malik, Shafi’i, Thawri) say it is not permissible to spend zakat in any city other than the one from which it was collected.
(The Hanafis) say it is permissible.
[Al-Um: 91/2, Al-Mughni: 131/4, Al-Mabsut: 18/3, Al-Ikhtiyar: 122/1, Nayl al-Awtar: 110/3, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi: 354/3]
(Strong view) In times of necessity and benefit, zakat can be spent in another city as well (however, in general circumstances, it is better to distribute zakat among the poor of the area from which it was collected, as proven by the above evidence).
[Tuhfat al-Ahwazi: 355/3]
Imam Bukhari established a chapter:
باب أخذ الصدقة من الأغنياء وترد فى الفقراء حيث كانوا
“A chapter stating that zakat should be collected from the wealthy and spent on the poor wherever they may be.”
Under this chapter, Imam Bukhari narrated this hadith:
تو خذ من أغنيائهم فترد على فقرائهم
[Bukhari: 1496, Book of Zakat]
Probably Imam Bukhari attributed the pronoun فقرائهم to all Muslims.
(Ibn Jibreen) says zakat can be transferred to another city for some benefit.
[Al-Fatawa al-Islamiyyah: 65/2]
The one who pays zakat is discharged by handing over his zakat to the ruler of the time, even if the ruler is unjust
➊ It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Soon after me, there will come people who will consider themselves superior to you and there will be matters you dislike.” People asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What do you command us regarding such times?” He said:
تو دون الحق الذى عليكم وتسألون الله الذى لكم
“Give your due right which you owe, and ask Allah for your right (from them).”
[Bukhari: 3603, Book of Virtues: Chapter on signs of prophethood in Islam, Muslim: 1843, Tirmidhi: 2190]
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Wa’il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say while a man was asking him: Tell me, if there are rulers who withhold our rights from us but demand their rights from us, what should we do? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
اسمعوا وأطيعوا فإنما عليهم ما حملوا وعليكم ما حملتهم
“Listen and obey; indeed, they have what they are responsible for, and you have what you are responsible for.”
[Muslim: 1846, Book of Leadership: Chapter on obedience to rulers even if they withhold rights, Tirmidhi: 2199]
➌ It is narrated from Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
ادفعوا إليهم ما صلوا الخمس
“Give them their rights as long as they perform the five prayers.”
[Tabarani Awsat: 1369, Majma’ al-Zawa’id: 28/3, 1369]
➍ It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that:
ادفعوها إليهم وإن شربوا الخمور
“Give them their rights even if they drink alcohol.”
[Bayhaqi: 115/4]
(The majority) say it is permissible to hand over zakat money to unjust rulers.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 115/3]
The ruler of the time can forcibly collect zakat from those who refuse to pay
He can even impose additional fines, as narrated by Bhaz bin Hakim from Abiyah from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
من أعطاها مـوتـحـرا بها فله أجرها ومن منعها فإنا أخذوها وشطر ماله
“Whoever pays zakat intending reward will get his reward, and whoever withholds zakat, we will forcibly collect zakat from him and also seize some of his wealth as a penalty.”
[Hasan: Sahih Abu Dawood: 1393, Book of Zakat: Chapter on zakat of grazing animals, Abu Dawood: 1575, Nasa’i: 2444]
