4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from his brother al-Hassan from Zur’ah ibn Muhammad from Santa ‘ah who has said the following:

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah , about Zakat if it can be paid to one who has a house and servants. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, unless his house is income-producing from which he earns dirham which is enough for his expenses and the expenses of his family. If such income is not enough for his expenses and the expenses of his family like food, clothes and their other needs without excessiveness; then Zakat is lawful for him, but if the income from the house is sufficient for their expenses, then Zakat is not lawful for him.’”