Ali ibn al-Hasan, from Ahmad ibn al-Hasan, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr, from Abu al-Hasan عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said:
Ibrahim ibn Abi al-Bilad said to Imam
عليه السلام: “Zakat has become obligatory upon you.” Imam
عليه السلام said: “No, rather, we give extra and we give in this manner.” And Imam
عليه السلام, peace be upon him, was asked about ‘the saying of Allah
سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, ‘And know that whatever you gain of anything, then indeed, for Allah
سبحانه وتعالى is one-fifth of it, and for the Messenger
صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and for the near relative, and the orphans, and the needy.’ (Surah Al-Anfal
8:41) It was said to Imam
عليه السلام: “Then that which belongs to Allah
سبحانه وتعالى, to whom does it go?” Imam
عليه السلام said: “It is for the Messenger
صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and whatever belongs to the blessed Messenger
صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, then it belongs to the Imam
عليه السلام.” It was said to Imam
عليه السلام: “What is your view if one category is greater in number than another, while another category is fewer in number? How should it be dealt with?” Imam
عليه السلام said: “That is left to the Imam
عليه السلام. Do you not see how the blessed Messenger of Allah
صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, may Allah
سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, acted? The Prophet
صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم would only give according to what He
صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم deemed appropriate. The Imam
عليه السلام is likewise.”