Ibn Mas'ud reported the Prophet as saying,“No man will fail to pay the zakat on his property without God putting a large snake on his neck on the day of resurrection." He then recited to them the justification of it from God s Book,“Let not those who are niggardly with what God has given them from His bounty suppose…”* Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it. * Quran 3:180.

‘A’isha said she heard God’s messenger say,“zakat is never mingled with any property without destroying it.”Shafi'i, Bukhari in his Ta’rikh, and al-Humaidi transmitted it, al-Humaidl adding He said,“Sadaqa will have been incumbent on you and you will not pay it, so what is forbidden will destroy what is lawful.”Those who hold that the zakat is connected with the property itself have used this as an argument. It is given thus in al-Muntaqa. Baihaqi transmitted in Shu’ab al-iman from Ahmad b. Hanbal with, his isnad to ‘A’isha, and Ahmad said“mingled”means that a man accepts zakat when he is opulent or rich, whereas it is only for the poor.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God’s messenger as saying,“No sadaqa is payable on less than five camel-loads (wasq) of dates, on less than five ounces of silver, and on less than five camels.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying,“No sadaqa is due from a Muslim on his slave or his horse.”In a version he said,“There is no sadaqa on his slave except that given at the breaking of the fast.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said that when Abu Bakr sent him to al-Bahrain he wrote him this letter:In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. This is the obligatory sadaqa which God’s messenger imposed on the Muslims which God commanded him to impose. Those Muslims who are asked for the proper amount must give it, but those who are asked for more than that must not give it. For twenty-four camels or less, a sheep is to be given for every five. When they reach twenty-five to thirty-five, a she-camel in her second year is to be given. When they reach thirty-six to forty-five, a she-camel in her third year is to be given. When they reach forty-six to sixty, a she-camel in her fourth year which is ready to be covered by a stallion is to be given. When they reach sixty-one to seventy-five, a she-camel in her fifth year is to be given. When they reach seventy-six to ninety, two she-camels in their third year are to be given. When they reach ninety-one to a hundred and twenty, two she-camels in their fourth year which are ready to be covered by a stallion are to be given. When they exceed a hundred and twenty, a she-camel in her third year is to be given for every forty and a she-camel in her fourth year for every fifty. If anyone has only four camels, no sadaqa is payable on them unless their owner wishes, but when they reach five a sheep is payable on them. If anyone whose camels reach the number on which a she-camel in her fifth year is payable does not possess one but possesses one in her fourth year, that will be accepted from him along with two sheep if he can conveniently give them, or else twenty dirhams. If anyone whose camels reach the number on which a she-camel in her fourth year is payable does not possess one but possesses one in her fifth year, that will be accepted from him, and the collector must give him twenty dirhams or two sheep. If anyone whose camels reach the number on which a she-camel in her fourth year is payable possesses only one in her third year, that will be accepted from him along with two sheep or twenty dirhams. If any one whose camels reach the number on which a she-camel in her third year is payable possesses one in her fourth year, that will be accepted from him, and the collector must give him twenty dirhams or two sheep. If anyone whose camels reach the number on which a she-camel in her third year is payable does not possess one but possesses one in her second year, that will be accepted from him, and he must give along with it twenty dirhams or two sheep. If anyone whose camels reach the number on which a she-camel in her second year is payable does not possess one but possesses one in her third year, that will be accepted from him, and the collector must give him twenty dirhams or two sheep; but if he does not possess a she-camel in her second year as is required and possesses a male camel in its third year, that will be accepted from him and nothing extra is to be demanded along with it. Concerning the sadaqa on sheep which are pasturing, when they number from forty to a hundred and twenty, a sheep is to be given. On over a hundred and twenty up to two hundred two sheep are to be given. On over two hundred up to three hundred three sheep are to be given. If they exceed three hundred, a sheep is to be given for every hundred. If a man’s pasturing animals are one less than forty no sadaqa is due on them unless their owner wishes. An old sheep, one with a defect in the eye, or a male goat is not to be brought forth as sadaqa unless the collector is willing. Those which are in separate flocks are not to be brought together and those which are in one flock are not to be separated from fear of sadaqa. * Regarding what belongs to two partners, they can make claims for restitution from one another with equity. On dirhams a fortieth is payable, but if there are only a hundred and ninety nothing is payable unless their owner wishes. Bukhari transmitted it. * The principle is that there is to be no rearrangement either so that the collector may get more than he might, or the owner may give less than he might.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar reported the Prophet as saying,“A tenth is payable on what is watered by rain or wells, or from underground moisture, and a twentieth on what is watered by draught camels.”Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying,“No retaliation is payable for a wound caused by a dumb animal, or for an accident in a well or a mine, but a fifth is payable on buried treasure.”* (Bukhari and Muslim.) * The word used (rikaz) is applied to treasure buried by people in pre-Islamic times; but the word may also mean metal in mines.

‘Ali reported God’s messenger as saying,“I have given exemption regarding horses and slaves; with regard to coins, however, you must pay a dirham for every forty, but nothing is payable on a hundred and ninety. When the total reaches two hundred, five dirhams are payable.”Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it. In a version by Abu Dawud from al-Harith al-A'war from ‘Ali, from the Prophet, as Zuhair thought,* he said,“Pay a fortieth.”A dirham is payable on every forty, but you are not liable for payment till you have a complete two hundred dirhams. When they reach two hundred five dirhams are payable, and that proportion is applicable to larger amounts. Regarding sheep, for every forty sheep up to a hundred and twenty, one sheep is payable. If there is one more, then up to two hundred two sheep are payable. If there are more, then up to three hundred three sheep are payable, and if there are more than three hundred a sheep is payable for every hundred. But if you possess only thirty-nine, nothing is payable on them. Regarding cattle, a male calf of a year old is payable for every thirty and a cow in its third year for forty, but nothing is payable on working animals. * Zuhair, from whom Abu Dawud’s immediate informant got the tradition, is here quoted as saying he thought 'Ali got the tradition from the Prophet directly. See Abu Dawud, zakat, 5. There are three stages in the isnad between Zuhair and Ali.

Mu'adh said that when the Prophet sent him to the Yemen he ordered him to take a male or female calf of a year old for every thirty cattle and a cow in its third year for every forty. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying,“He who collects more sadaqa than is due is like him who refuses to pay it.”* Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. * Meaning that the sin committed by both is similar in its seriousness.