Chapter on One Entitled to Fitrah and the Least Amount of It That Is Given to the Poor Person

Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 27

Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām

Volume 4, Book 1, Chapter 27

Chapter on One Entitled to Fitrah and the Least Amount of It That Is Given to the Poor Person
11 hadiths · 5 commentaries
Commentary 1

قال الشيخ رحمه الله:) ومستحق الفطرة هو من كان على صفات مستحق الزكاة من الفقر والمعرفة(. قد بينا فيما تقدم بيان ذلك، والذي يزيده وضوحا

The Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, said: “The one entitled to al-fitrah is whoever possesses the qualities of one entitled to zakat, in terms of poverty and recognition (marifah).” We have already explained that previously, and that which increases it in clarity.

Hadith 1

مَا رَوَاهُ أَبُو اَلْقَاسِمِ بْنُ قُولَوَيْهِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ نَهِيكٍ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلْحَمِيدِ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ مَنْ أَهْلُهَا اَلَّذِينَ تَجِبُ لَهُمْ قَالَ» مَنْ لاَ يَجِدُ شَيْئاً«.

What Abu al-Qasim ibn Qulawayh narrated from Jafar ibn Muhammad, from Abdullah ibn Nahik, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Muhammad ibn Abd al-Hamid, from Yunus ibn Yaqub, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: I (narrator) asked Imam (a.s) about ‘the (zakat of) Fitrah, who are its people for whom it becomes obligatory?’ Imam (a.s) said: “One who does not find anything.”

Hadith 2

وَعَنْهُ عَنِ اَلْهَيْثَمِ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ سَهْلٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنِ اَلْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِمَنْ تَحِلُّ اَلْفِطْرَةُ قَالَ» لِمَنْ لاَ يَجِدُ وَ مَنْ حَلَّتْ لَهُ لَمْ تَحِلَّ عَلَيْهِ« قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ أَ عَلَى مَنْ قَبِلَ اَلزَّكَاةَ زَكَاةٌ قَالَ »أَمَّا مَنْ قَبِلَ زَكَاةَ اَلْمَالِ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْهِ زَكَاةَ اَلْفِطْرَةِ وَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ لِمَا قَبِلَهُ وَ لَيْسَ عَلَى مَنْ قَبِلَ اَلْفِطْرَةَ فِطْرَةٌ«.

And from him, from al-Haytham, from Ismail ibn Sahl, from Hammad, from Hariz, from al-Fudayl, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: I (narrator) asked: “For whom is the Fitrah lawful?” Imam (a.s) said: “For one who does not find, and whoever it is lawful for, it is not lawful upon him.” He (narrator) said: “I said to Imam (a.s): ‘Is Zakat upon one who accepts Zakat?’” Imam (a.s) said: “As for one who accepts the Zakat of wealth, then upon him is Zakat al-Fitrah, and it is not upon him because of what he accepted; and there is no Fitrah upon one who accepts the Fitrah.”

Hadith 3

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ اَلْقَاسِمِ بْنِ بُرَيْدٍ عَنْ مَالِكٍ اَلْجُهَنِيِّ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ زَكَاةِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ فَقَالَ» تُعْطِيهَا اَلْمُسْلِمِينَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ مُسْلِماً فَمُسْتَضْعَفاً وَ أَعْطِ ذَا قَرَابَتِكَ مِنْهَا إِنْ شِئْتَ«.

Muhammad ibn Yaqub, from a number of our companions, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from al-Husayn ibn Said, from Fadalah ibn Ayyub, from al-Qasim ibn Burayd, from Malik al-Juhani, who said: I (narrator) asked Abu Ja’far (a.s), peace be upon him, about ‘Zakat al-Fitrah.’ Imam (a.s) said: “You give it to the Muslims; and if you do not find a Muslim, then to a weak one (mustad'af); and give from it to your relative, if you wish.”

Hadith 4

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ اَلصَّفَّارُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ حَفْصٍ اَلْمَرْوَزِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ:» إِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ مَنْ تَضَعُ اَلْفِطْرَةَ فِيهِ فَاعْزِلْهَا تِلْكَ اَلسَّاعَةَ قَبْلَ اَلصَّلاَةِ وَ اَلصَّدَقَةُ بِصَاعٍ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ قِيمَتِهِ فِي تِلْكَ اَلْبِلاَدِ دَرَاهِمَ«.

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Saffar, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Sulayman ibn Hafs al-Marwazi: I (narrator) heard Imam (a.s) saying: “If you do not find one in whom to place the Fitrah, then set it aside at that hour before the prayer; and the charity is one sa’ of dates, or its value in those lands as dirhams.”

Hadith 5

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ اَلصَّفَّارُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى قَالَ: كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عُقْبَةَ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ كَمْ هِيَ بِرِطْلِ بَغْدَادَ عَنْ كُلِّ رَأْسٍ وَ هَلْ يَجُوزُ إِعْطَاؤُهَا غَيْرَ مُؤْمِنٍ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ» عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تُخْرِجَ عَنْ نَفْسِكَ صَاعاً بِصَاعِ اَلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَ عَنْ عِيَالِكَ أَيْضاً لاَ يَنْبَغِي لَكَ أَنْ تُعْطِيَ زَكَاتَكَ إِلاَّ مُؤْمِناً«.

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Saffar, from Muhammad ibn Isa, who said: Ibrahim ibn Uqbah wrote to Imam (a.s), asking him about ‘the (zakat of) Fitrah, how much is it according to the ratl of Baghdad for every head, and is it permissible to give it to other than a believer?’ Imam (a.s) wrote to him: “You must take out on behalf of yourself one sa’ according to the sa’ of the Prophet (saws), and on behalf of your dependents also. It is not proper for you to give your Zakat except to a believer.”

Hadith 6

فَأَمَّا مَا رَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ اَلصَّفَّارُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ وَأَرَانِي قَدْ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بِلاَلٍ قَالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ هَلْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ اَلرَّجُلُ فِي بَلْدَةٍ وَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ إِخْوَانِهِ فِي بَلْدَةٍ أُخْرَى يَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ لَهُ فِطْرَةٌ أَمْ لاَ فَكَتَبَ» تَقْسِمُ اَلْفِطْرَةَ عَلَى مَنْ حَضَرَهَا وَلاَ تُوَجِّهْ ذَلِكَ إِلَى بَلْدَةٍ أُخْرَى وَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ مُوَافِقاً«.

As for what Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Saffar narrated from Muhammad ibn Isa, who said: Ali ibn Bilal narrated to me, and I think I had heard it from Ali ibn Bilal, who said: I (narrator) wrote to Imam (a.s): “Is it permissible that a man be in one town, and a man from his brothers be in another town, needing that Fitrah be sent to him, or not?” Imam (a.s) wrote: “Divide the Fitrah among those who are present for it, and do not send that to another town, even if you do not find one who agrees.”

Hadith 7

وَ مَا رَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ صَدَقَةِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ أُعْطِيهَا غَيْرَ أَهْلِ وَلاَيَتِي مِنْ جِيرَانِي قَالَ» نَعَمْ اَلْجِيرَانُ أَحَقُّ بِهَا لِمَكَانِ اَلشُّهْرَةِ«.

And what Muhammad ibn Yaqub narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Muhammad ibn Isa, from Yunus, from Ishaq ibn Ammar, from Abu Ibrahim (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: I (narrator) asked Imam (a.s) about ‘the charity of al-Fitrah, may I give it to those other than the people of my wilayah from my neighbors?’ Imam (a.s) said: “Yes, the neighbors are more entitled to it because of the place of public recognition.”

Commentary 2

فالمراد بهذين الخبرين وما جرى مجراهما مما روي في هذا المعنى انه إذا لم يعرف منه النصب ويكون مستضعفا لا بأس إن يعطيه صدقة الفطرة، ويحتمل ايضا ان يكون سوغ ذلك لضرب من التقية، وقد بين ذلك في الخبر الاخير بقوله: لمكان الشهرة، ومتى لم يكن هناك خوف ووجد مؤمنا فلا يجوز ان يعطي غيره حسب ما ذكرناه. والذي يدل على ما ذكرناه من ان المراد به المستضعفون.

What is intended by these two reports, and whatever runs according to their course from what has been narrated concerning this meaning, is that if hostility (nasb) is not known from him and he is one of the deemed weak (mustad'af), there is no harm in giving him sadaqat al-fitrah. It is also possible that this was permitted for a type of precautionary dissimulation (taqiyyah), and that has been clarified in the last report by his saying: “because of publicity (shuhrah).” Whenever there is no fear there and a believer is found, then it is not permissible to give it to anyone else, according to what we have mentioned. And that which indicates what we have mentioned, that what is intended by it is the deemed weak (mustad'afun).

Hadith 8

مَا رَوَاهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنِ اَلْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:» كَانَ جَدِّي عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يُعْطِي فِطْرَتَهُ اَلضُّعَفَاءَ وَ مَنْ لاَ يَجِدُ وَ مَنْ لاَ يَتَوَلَّى« قَالَ وَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ» هِيَ لِأَهْلِهَا إِلاَّ أَنْ لاَ تَجِدَهُمْ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْهُمْ فَلِمَنْ لاَ يَنْصِبُ وَ لاَ تَنْقُلْ مِنْ أَرْضٍ إِلَى أَرْضٍ« وَ قَالَ» اَلْإِمَامُ أَعْلَمُ يَضَعُهَا حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ وَ يَصْنَعُ فِيهَا مَا يَرَى«.

What Ali ibn al-Hasan narrated from Ibrahim ibn Hashim, from Hammad, from Hariz, from al-Fudayl, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) said: “My grandfather (a.s), peace be upon him, used to give his Fitrah to the weak, and to one who does not find, and to one who does not profess wilayah.” He (narrator) said: “And Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, said: ‘It is for its people, unless you do not find them; so if you do not find them, then to one who does not show enmity (nasb), and do not transfer it from one land to another land.” And Imam (a.s) said: “The Imam knows best; he places it wherever he wishes and does with it whatever he sees.”

Commentary 3

قال الشيخ رحمه الله:) وأقل ما يعطى الفقير منها صاع ولا بأس باعطائه أصواعا(. يدل على ذلك ما رواه:

The Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, said: “The least that may be given to the poor person from it is a sa’, and there is no harm in giving him several sa’ measures (aswa).” What indicates that is what was narrated (in the following hadith):

Hadith 9

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:» لاَ تُعْطِ أَحَداً أَقَلَّ مِنْ رَأْسٍ«.

Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from al-Husayn ibn Said, from some of our companions, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: Imam (a.s) said: “Do not give anyone less than one head’s share.”

Commentary 4

وقد روي جواز تفريق ذلك روى:

And the permissibility of distributing that has been narrated. He narrated (in the following hadith):

Hadith 10

اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ اَلْمُبَارَكِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ صَدَقَةِ اَلْفِطْرَةِ أَ هِيَ مِمَّا قَالَ اَللَّهُ تَعَالَى» أَقِيمُوا اَلصَّلاٰةَ وَآتُو ااَلزَّكٰاةَ« فَقَالَ» نَعَمْ« وَقَالَ» صَدَقَةُ اَلتَّمْرِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ لِأَنَّ أَبِي صَلَوَاتُُ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ كَانَ يَتَصَدَّقُ بِالتَّمْرِ« قُلْتُ فَيَجْعَلُ قِيمَتَهَا فِضَّةً فَيُعْطِيهَا رَجُلاً وَاحِداً أَوِ اِثْنَيْنِ فَقَالَ» يُفَرِّقُهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ وَلاَ بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَجْعَلَهَا فِضَّةً وَاَلتَّمْرُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ« قُلْتُ فَأُعْطِيهَا غَيْرَ أَهْلِ اَلْوَلاَيَةِ مِنْ هَذَا اَلْجِيرَانِ قَالَ» نَعَمْ اَلْجِيرَانُ أَحَقُّ بِهَا« قُلْتُ فَأُعْطِي اَلرَّجُلَ اَلْوَاحِدَ ثَلاَثَةَ أَصْيُعٍ وَ أَرْبَعَةَ أَصْيُعٍ قَالَ» نَعَمْ«.

Al-Husayn ibn Said, from Safwan, from Ishaq ibn al-Mubarak, who said: I (narrator) asked Abu Ibrahim (a.s), peace be upon him, about ‘the charity of al-Fitrah, Is it from what Allah (swt), the Exalted, said: ‘Establish the prayer and give the Zakat?’ (Surah al-Baqarah 2:43) Imam (a.s) said: “Yes.” And Imam (a.s) said: “The charity of dates is more beloved to me, because my father (a.s), the blessings of Allah (swt) be upon him, used to give charity with dates.” I (narrator) said: “Then may he make its value silver and give it to one man or two?” Imam (a.s) said: “To distribute it is more beloved to me, and there is no harm in making it silver, and dates are more beloved to me.” I asked: “Then may I give it to those other than people of wilayah from the neighbors?” Imam (a.s) said: “Yes, the neighbors are more entitled to it.” I (narrator) asked: “Then may I give one man three sa’s (asyu) and four sa’s (asyu)?” Imam (a.s) said: “Yes.”

Commentary 5

فالمعنى في هذا الحديث انه إذا كان هناك جماعة محتاجون كان التفريق عليهم أفضل من إعطائه واحدا، فأما إذا لم يكن هناك ضرورة فالافضل إعطاء رأس لرأس مع انه ليس في الخبر في قوله يفرقها أحب إلي ان تفرق رأس واحد واحد، ويحتمل ان يكون أراد من وجب عليه فطرة رؤوس فان يفرق ويعطي كل واحد منهم رأسا افضل من إعطائه لرجل واحد ،وعلى هذا التأويل لا تنافي بين هذا الخبر والخبر الاول، وقد بينا في الخبر الاول انه لا بأس ان يعطى رجل واحد رؤوسا كثيرة. ويزيد ذلك بيانا ما رواه:

The meaning in this hadith is that if there is a group of needy people there, then distributing it among them is better than giving it to one person. But if there is no necessity there, then what is better is giving one head for one head, along with the fact that there is nothing in the report, in his saying, “I prefer that he distribute it,” to mean that the fitrah of one single head is to be distributed. It is possible that Imam (a.s) intended that whoever is obligated to pay the fitrah of several heads should distribute and give each one of them one head, and that this is better than giving it to one man. According to this interpretation, there is no contradiction between this report and the first report. We have already explained in the first report that there is no harm in giving one man many heads. And what further clarifies that is what was narrated:

Hadith 11

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:» لاَ بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يُعْطَى اَلرَّجُلُ اَلرَّأْسَيْنِ وَ ثَلاَثَةً وَ أَرْبَعَةً« يَعْنِي اَلْفِطْرَةَ.

Muhammad ibn Yaqub, from a number of our companions, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from some of our companions, from Ishaq ibn Ammar, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: Imam (a.s) said: “There is no harm in a man being given two heads, and three, and four,” meaning the Fitrah.