سورة الأنفال

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): O Ali (peace be upon him)! Indeed, Abd al-Muttalib (peace be upon him) established five customs in the time of jahiliyya (the age of ignorance) which Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, put into effect in Islam ... he found a treasure, set aside one-fifth of it, and gave it to others in the way of Allah. So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, sent down concerning this the verse: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَه [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Hukaym said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about this saying of Allah the Blessed and Exalted: وَ اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبَی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin]. The Imam (peace be upon him), while both his elbows were on his knees, gestured with his hand and then said: "By Allah, it is the gain and profit day by day; but my father left his Shia a free hand (made it lawful for them) so that they may be purified."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): This year I have made obligatory upon the Shia the khums on gold and silver upon which a year has passed, and I have not made it obligatory on them regarding goods, vessels, four-legged animals, servants, profit gained from trade, or agricultural land — except for the agricultural land which I will presently explain to you. This is a concession and a favour from me toward my devotees, in view of the wealth the ruler forcibly takes from them and in view of the hardships and troubles that befall them. But [the khums on] spoils and gains is obligatory upon the Shia every year, [for] Allah said: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی وَ الْیَتامی وَ المَساکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ إِنْ کُنْتُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِاللهِ وَ ما أَنْزَلْنا عَلی عَبْدِنا یَوْمَ الْفُرْقانِ یَوْمَ الْتَقَی الجَمْعانِ وَ اللهُ عَلی کُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیرٌ [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and in that which We revealed to Our servant on the day of distinction, the day on which the two parties met; and Allah has power over all things]. And [what is meant by] spoils and gains — may Allah have mercy on you — is the spoil that a person acquires, and the benefit he obtains, and the gift of great value that someone gives to another, and the inheritance that comes unexpectedly from other than a father or a son and from where it is not anticipated, and such as [the wealth of] an enemy who has been destroyed and whose wealth is seized, and such as wealth that is found and whose owner is not known, and what a group of my Shia have obtained from the wealth of the sinful Khurramiyya — for I have learned that great sums of wealth from them have come into the hands of a group of my Shia. Whoever has anything of what I have enumerated with him must convey its khums to my agent, and whoever is in a distant place must intend to convey it even after a period of time has passed, for the intention of the believer is better than his action. As for what I make obligatory regarding crops and agricultural land each year [to be given as khums], it is half of one sixth (one twelfth) upon him whose agricultural produce suffices for his living expenses; but the one whose agricultural produce does not suffice for his living expenses, nothing is obligatory upon him.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Halabi said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked about a man who is from our companions but fights under their (others') banner and receives a share of the spoils. He said: "He pays its khums and it is lawful for him."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Take the wealth of the Nasibi wherever you find it, and hand over the khums to us.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Isma'il ibn Jabir narrates from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) that the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), in a portion of a long hadith, said: "As for what has come in the Quran regarding the livelihood of the people and its causes, Allah has informed us that it is of five aspects: the aspect of indication, ... As for the aspect of indication, it is this word of Allah, who said: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی وَ الْیَتامی وَ المَساکِینِ [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy]; according to this verse, the khums (one-fifth) of the spoils has been appointed for Allah, and this khums is taken out from four matters: from the spoils which the Muslims obtain from the polytheists, from mines, from treasures, and from wealth acquired by diving into the sea."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Sama'a said: I asked Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) about khums. He said: "On everything from which people gain benefit, whether little or much."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Khums is on five things: spoils of war, diving [pearls], treasures, mines, and salt-mines. From all of these categories khums is taken.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about mallaha (salt-mine). He said: "What is mallaha?" I said: "Barren, salty land in which water gathers and turns into salt." He said: "This mine has khums on it." I said: "And sulphur and petroleum that come out of the earth, do they have khums?" He said: "This and its like have khums."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim said: "He was asked about mines of gold, silver, iron, lead and copper — do they have khums?" He said: "They have khums."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Halabi said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about ambergris and pearls extracted through diving. He (peace be upon him) said: "It has khums."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Halabi said: They asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about treasure — how much khums is due on it? He said: "One-fifth." They asked: "How much khums is due on mines?" He said: "One-fifth, and likewise from mines of lead, copper, iron and all types of metals — the same amount that is taken as khums from gold and silver is taken from them as well."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Ali said: "I asked about what is extracted from the sea — such as pearls, rubies and chrysolite — and about mines of silver and gold, and how much khums is taken from them." He said: "If its value reaches one dinar, khums is due on it."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurara said: "I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about metals — how much [khums] must be deducted from them?" He said: "Every treasure that lies within the earth has khums due on it." And he said: "Whatever you spend from your own wealth to extract it, and the ore of that mine which Allah has brought out for you — once it is pure [after deducting the cost] — has khums due on it."

Imam Jawad (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Ash'ari said: Some of our companions wrote to Imam Jawad (peace be upon him) as follows: "Tell us about khums — is it obligatory on everything a person benefits from, of all kinds, and also on craftsmen, and how?" He wrote in his own handwriting: "One-fifth of it is taken after [deducting the yearly living expenses]."

Imam Hadi (peace be upon him): Ibrahim ibn Muhammad said: "I wrote to Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) and asked him about what payment is obligatory from landed estates." He wrote: "Khums after expenses." Then I debated with our companions. They said: "[Calculation of] the expense is after what the ruler takes (kharaj) and after personal expenses." So I wrote to him: "Indeed you said: 'Khums after expenses,' and our companions have differed regarding the determination of expenses." He wrote: "Khums is taken after the amount the ruler takes and after setting aside the expense of the man and his family."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Ali said: I asked Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) about what is extracted from the sea — pearls, rubies and chrysolite — and about the mines of gold and silver, whether zakat is due on them. He said: "If its value reaches one dinar, khums is due on it."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) that he said: A man came to the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) and said: "O Commander of the Faithful! Wealth has come into my hands and I do not know whether it is lawful or unlawful." He said to him: "Separate the khums from that wealth, for Allah the Mighty and Majestic has accepted the khums of wealth; and avoid every wealth whose owner works with it."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Ahmad ibn Muhammad said: "I asked Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) about what is obtained from a mine, whether little or much, whether [khums or zakat] is due on it." He said: "Nothing is due on it until it reaches an amount whose zakat would be twenty dinars."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Khums is on five things: on spoils of war, on diving, treasures, mines, and salt-mines.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): There is no khums except on spoils of war specifically.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn Sinan said: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say concerning the spoils of war: "The khums is separated from it, and what remains is divided among those who fought to obtain it and those who took charge of it; but as for the fay' and the anfal, these belong exclusively to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Ahmad ibn Muhammad said: I wrote a letter to Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and said: "Should I take out the khums before deducting the yearly expenses or after them?" He wrote back: "After the expenses."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Ibn Sinan narrates from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Everything for the obtaining of which, and for [people's] bearing witness to "there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," war has been waged — we have the khums in it, and it is not permissible for anyone to buy anything from the khums until our right in it reaches us.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr said: Every person who obtains spoils or earns an income must pay its khums for Fatima (peace be upon her) and for the one who takes charge of her affair after her, from her descendants (peace be upon them) who are the proofs [of Allah] over the people. So that [khums] belongs exclusively to them, and they place it wherever they wish, for Allah has forbidden charity (sadaqa) to them. Even if a tailor sews a shirt for five daaniqs (a unit of currency), one part of it is ours — except for those of our Shia for whom we have made it lawful, so that by means of it their birth may be pure and wholesome. Indeed, adultery is the greatest sin before Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The owner of the khums will stand up and say: "O my Lord! Ask these [people] about what has been made lawful for them [and what has not been made lawful]."

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Ahmad ibn Muhammad said: "Imam Rida (peace be upon him) was asked about the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin], and he was asked: 'That which is for Allah, for whom [in reality] is it?' He said: 'For the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and whatever is for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) is for the Imam.' It was said to him: 'What is your view — if one category [of the recipients] is more numerous and another category fewer, how should we account for it?' He said: 'That is up to the Imam. Have you not seen how the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) used to act? In truth, he used to give according to what he saw [fit], and the Imam is likewise.'"

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), regarding the verse: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of kin], said: "By dhi al-qurba (the near of kin) is meant Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) and the Imams (peace be upon them)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): So sadaqa (charity) is forbidden for us, but khums (the fifth) has been made obligatory for us by Allah, and [accepting] a gift is lawful for us.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim narrates from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) that regarding this word of Allah, Blessed and Exalted: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of kin], he said: "They are the near kin of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and the khums belongs to Allah, to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and to us."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): The khums of Allah the Mighty and Majestic belongs to the Imam (peace be upon him), and the khums of the Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) also belongs to the Imam (peace be upon him), and the khums of dhi al-qurba (the near of kin) belongs to the near kin of the Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) and the Imam (peace be upon him), and the orphans — meaning the orphans of the Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) — and their needy and their wayfarers. These funds are not paid to anyone other than them.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): "O Shami, have you recited this verse which is the word of the Lord the Mighty and Majestic: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of kin]?" He said: "Yes." Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) said: "We are dhawi al-qurba (the near of kin)."

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): The word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin]. In this verse, Allah has joined the share of the Messenger's near of kin to His own share and to the share of the Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), and this too is another distinction that shows the difference between the Ummah and the Family; for Allah the Mighty and Majestic has placed them in one station and placed the people in a lower station, and He has approved for them what He approved for Himself, and He has selected them in that rank. He began with Himself, then in the second stage with His Messenger, and then with the near of kin — and that too in all revenues, spoils, and other things which He, the Mighty and Majestic, approved for Himself. And in this verse He has spoken the truth: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin]. This is a firm emphasis and an enduring effect that remains for them until the Day of Resurrection, in a speaking Qur'an which no falsehood approaches, neither from before it nor from behind it, since it is sent down from the Wise, the Praiseworthy (Fussilat/42). And as for this word of Allah: وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکِینِ [and the orphans and the needy] — when the orphan's helplessness ends, he goes out of the spoils and no longer has any share in them; the needy one likewise, when his period of destitution ends, no longer has any share of the spoils and it is not lawful for him to take it. But the share of the near of kin, whether poor or rich among them, remains for them until the Day of Resurrection, because no one is richer than Allah the Mighty and Majestic and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). Allah set for Himself a share in the spoils and for His Messenger another share, and what He approved for Himself and His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), He approved for the near of kin as well. It is the same with the kharaj: what He has approved for Himself and His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), He has approved for the near of kin also. He first mentioned His own name, then the Prophet, then the near of kin, and joined their share to His own share and the share of His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim said: I asked one of the two of them about this word of Allah the Exalted: وَ اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبَی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin]. He said: They are the near of kin of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). I asked: Do the orphans, the needy and the wayfarers also fall among them? He said: Yes!

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about this word of Allah the Blessed and Exalted: وَ اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبَی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin]. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: They are the near of kin of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The khums is separated from the spoils, then the remaining four parts of it are divided among those who fought to obtain it, or the one who took charge of it.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Daylam ibn Amr that he said: "When [after the event of Karbala] the captives of the family of Muhammad were brought to Sham, we were present there [and watching them], until they were placed on the steps of the mosque of Sham [which was the station for captives]. An old man of Sham came forward and said: 'Praise be to Allah who killed you and extinguished the fire of sedition!' [When his words ended,] Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) said to him: 'O old man! Be silent and listen to my words, for I too remained silent and you expressed what you had of enmity and rancor in your heart. So tell me, have you read the Quran?' He said: 'Yes!' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'Have you found in the Quran a right that is specific to us, the household, and not to other Muslims?' He said: 'No!' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'It appears you have not read the Quran [properly]!' He said: 'Yes I have! I have read it.' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'Have you not read this verse of Surah al-Anfal which says: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin]? Do you know who dhawi al-qurba (the near of kin) are?' He said: 'No!' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'Only we, the household, are dhawi al-qurba.' He said: 'Are you truly dhawi al-qurba?!' The Imam said: 'Yes.' At this moment, the old man of Sham raised his hand [toward the sky] and said: 'O Allah! I repent to You from the killing of the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and from enmity toward them!'"

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): As for the khums (fifth) of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, it must be said: The Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) has authority to spend it in the way of Allah. As for the khums of the Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), it goes to his relatives, and the khums of dhawi al-qurba (the near of kin) goes to his relatives and the orphans of his household. So He has assigned shares to these four groups. As for the needy and the wayfarers, you know that we do not take charity and it is not lawful for us, for it is for the needy and the wayfarers.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): By Allah! What is meant by dhawi al-qurba (the near of kin) is us, for Allah has linked us with Himself and with His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family). Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبَی وَ الْیَتَامَی وَ المَسَاکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ [that a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer], and this verse was revealed only concerning us.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abd al-Karim Uqba al-Hashimi said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said [to Amr ibn Ubayd al-Mu'tazili]: "Tell me — to whom do you give the khums (fifth) of the war-spoils?" Amr ibn Ubayd said: "To those whom Allah has named [in the Qur'an]," and he recited this verse: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer]. Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "The share of the Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) — to whom do you give it, and who are 'those of kin' (dhu al-qurba)?" Amr replied: "The jurists of the Ummah differ on this. Some say: what is meant is the near ones and the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Some say: the share of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) goes to the caliph. Others say: what is meant is the kin of those Muslims who fought to obtain that spoil." The Imam (peace be upon him) asked: "And which opinion do you yourself hold?" He replied: "I do not know!" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "I see that you do not know [the answer to this question either]! Let us set this aside as well." Then the Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Now tell me: do you divide four-fifths of the spoils among all the fighters?" Amr answered: "Yes!" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "In that case you have opposed the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). In this matter I accept as arbiters the jurists and elders of Medina; ask them, and they will testify without disagreement or dispute that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) made a peace pact with the desert-dwelling Bedouins on these terms: that they had the right to remain in their own lands and settlements and not migrate, on the condition that if the darkness of an enemy army loomed over Medina, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) had the right to mobilise them and take them to fight the enemy — but he would not pay them any share from the war-spoils. Now you say: 'I divide it among all!' In everything you have said, you have opposed the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) with regard to his conduct and his dealings with the polytheists. This being so, tell me: what is your opinion regarding zakat?" Amr recited this verse: إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقاتُ لِلْفُقَراءِ وَ الْمَساکِینِ وَ الْعامِلِینَ عَلَیْها [Zakat is only for the poor and the needy and those employed to (collect) it]. (al-Tawbah/60)... The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Yes! [This verse determines the ruling of zakat.] But how do you divide it?" Amr said: "I divide the zakat into eight equal parts and allot each part to one group." The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Even if one group of them reaches ten thousand persons and another group does not exceed one, two or three persons? You allot these few persons a share equal to the share of those ten thousand?!" Amr said: "Yes!" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "And you certainly gather the zakat of the town-dwellers together with the zakat of the desert-dwellers in one place and divide it equally among their eligible recipients?" Amr said: "Yes!" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "In this way, in everything you have said, you have opposed the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) used to distribute the zakat of the desert-dwellers among the eligible desert-dwellers, and the zakat of the townspeople among the eligible townspeople, and he did not divide it equally between the two groups. Rather, whatever amount of zakat was collected from each group, he distributed by that amount and according to his own discernment among them, and in this matter no fixed and prescribed duty was laid upon the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family); rather he acted according to his own judgement of expediency and according to the amount that had been collected from them. If you have any doubt or hesitation about what I say, meet the jurists of Medina so that you may know that they do not differ with one another on the point that the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) was such." Then the Imam (peace be upon him) addressed Amr ibn Ubayd and said: "Fear Allah! And you, this company, fear Allah too! For my father Imam Baqir (peace be upon him), who was the best person on the face of the earth and the most knowledgeable of all in the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), informed me that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'Whoever strikes the Muslims with the sword and calls them to obey him, while among the Muslims there is one more knowledgeable than he, is astray and has meddled in what does not concern him.'"

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Zurara, Muhammad ibn Muslim and Abu Basir asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "What is the right of the Imam in the wealth of the people?" He said: "Fay', anfal, khums, and everything from which fay', anfal, khums or ghanima (spoils) is derived — a fifth of it is theirs, for Allah says: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer]. And everything that is in this world — they have a share in it. So if someone connects himself to them by paying them the khums, [let him know that] the amount they pray for on his behalf [and which reaches him by way of that supplication] is greater than what [they] receive."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): When the caliphate was handed over to Abu Bakr, Umar said to him: "People are slaves of the world and want nothing but the world. So withhold from Ali (peace be upon him) and his family the khums of the fay' (spoils taken from the disbelievers without war) and Fadak, for if his followers learn of this, they will abandon Ali (peace be upon him) and turn to you out of desire and inclination for the world and because they prefer the world over everything else." Abu Bakr did so and withheld all of that from them. Ali (peace be upon him) said to Fatima (peace be upon her): "Go to Abu Bakr and remind him of Fadak, the khums and the fay' [so that he may return them to us]." Fatima (peace be upon her) went to Abu Bakr and reminded him of Fadak, the khums and the fay'. Abu Bakr said to Fatima (peace be upon her): "O daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! Bring a witness [that these are your right]." Fatima (peace be upon her) said: "As for [the fact that] Fadak [is our right], Allah revealed to His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) a verse in which He commanded him to give me and my children (peace be upon them) our right, where He says: فَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبی حَقَّهُ [So give the near of kin his right] (Rum/38). I and my children (peace be upon them) were the closest people to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), so the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) gave Fadak to me and my children (peace be upon them) as a gift." When Jibra'il (peace be upon him) recited [the continuation of the verse, namely]: وَ الْمِسْکِینَ وَ ابْنَ السَّبِیلِ [and the needy and the wayfarer] (Rum/38) to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) asked: "What is the right of the needy and the wayfarer?" At that point Allah revealed this verse: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer], and He divided the khums into five parts and said: مَا أَفَاءَ اللهُ عَلَی رَسُولِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَی فَلِلهِ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ کَیْ لا یَکُونَ دُولَةً بَیْنَ الْأَغْنِیاءِ مِنْکُمْ [What Allah has restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns, it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, so that [these vast wealth] may not circulate only among the rich among you] (Hashr/7). So what is Allah's right belongs to His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), and what belongs to His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) belongs to the near of kin (dhi al-qurba), and we the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) are that near of kin.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Abu Hamza narrated from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) that he said: "Allah has set for us, the Ahl al-Bayt, three shares out of all fay' (the spoils taken from the disbelievers without war), and He has said: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer]. We are the owners of the khums and the fay', and we have made it forbidden to all people except our Shia. O Abu Hamza! By Allah, no land is conquered and no khums of any wealth is paid, and nothing of it [the khums] is touched, except that it is forbidden to whoever it reaches [to make use of it], whether [that property] be a woman [through marrying by means of that wealth or buying a slave-woman] or property."

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Allah the Exalted has said: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin], and by this He bestowed His kindness and mercy upon us, obliging us with His mercy, because the true owner of souls, properties, and all other things is He Himself who possesses real ownership, and whatever is in people's hands is by way of a loan, and people are owners metaphorically, not truly. And whatever people gain [through work and commerce] is counted as ghanimah (spoils), whether [that wealth] be treasure, or mines, or wealth gained from diving in the sea [such as pearls], or war spoils for the acquisition of which no expedition was mounted (fay'), and [likewise] things which have been claimed to have no khums due on them, namely the profits of trade, the produce of crops, and other incomes obtained from work, industries, inheritance, and other things — because all of these incomes are [the gaining of] ghanimah and profit and the sustenance of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. And in another narration it has come that even the tailor must pay khums from his needle and the craftsman from his craft. Consequently, whoever gains any wealth from any of these paths must pay its khums, and if he does so he has paid the right that Allah has made obligatory upon him."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Hasan ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Shu'ba narrates in the book Tuhaf al-Uqul the letter of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) concerning war spoils and the obligation of khums for those entitled to it: ... As for the spoils of war: when the day of Badr came, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Whoever kills [an enemy], he shall have such-and-such, and whoever takes a captive shall have such-and-such from the spoils of this people, for indeed Allah has promised me that He will make me victorious over them and will grant me their army as a bounty [and spoil]." When Allah defeated the polytheists and the spoils of war were gathered, one of the Ansar rose and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! You commanded us to fight the polytheists and incited us to it, and you said that whoever seizes a captive shall have such-and-such, and whoever kills [an enemy] shall have such-and-such. Indeed, I killed two enemies and I have witnesses to that, and I also took a captive. So, O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), give us what you made obligatory upon yourself!" Then he sat down. After him, Sa'd ibn Ubada rose and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! It was not fear of the enemy nor disinterest in the Hereafter nor unwillingness to acquire spoils that kept us from taking spoils like the other fighters. Rather, we feared that if we moved far from your side, some of the polytheist army might turn towards you, and seeing you [alone] and exposed to destruction they might attack you and harm you. If you give this group [of fighters] what they want, the rest of the Muslims will receive no share of the spoils." Then he sat down. Then another of the Ansar rose and spoke likewise and sat down, and each of them repeated his statement three times. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) turned his face away from them, and Allah the Mighty and Majestic sent down this verse: يَسْئَلُونَکَ عَنِ الْأَنْفَالِ [They ask you about al-Anfal] — and al-Anfal was a comprehensive name for what they had obtained that day, like the saying of Allah: مَا أَفَاءَ اللهُ عَلَی رَسُولِهِ [What Allah has bestowed upon His Messenger], and also وَ أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ [And whatever thing you gain]. Then He said: قُلِ الْأَنْفَالُ لِلهِ وَ الرَّسُولِ [Say: al-Anfal belong to Allah and the Messenger]; Allah took it out of their hands and set it for Himself and His Messenger. Then He said: "Rather, if you are people of faith, make peace and reconciliation among yourselves and obey Allah and His Messenger" (al-Anfal/1). Then when the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) set foot in Medina, Allah sent down this verse: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبَی وَ الْیَتَامَی وَ الْمَسَاکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ إِنْ کُنْتُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِاللهِ وَ مَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَی عَبْدِنَا یَوْمَ الْفُرْقَانِ یَوْمَ الْتَقَی الْجَمْعَانِ [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and in what We sent down upon Our servant on the day of distinction, the day the two parties met]. As for His saying: لِلهِ [for Allah] — it is as when someone says, "This is Allah's and yours," while no special share is set aside from it for Allah. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) divided the spoils he had acquired into five parts, and he took Allah's share for himself, in order to keep his name alive by it and leave it as inheritance after him, and he gave a share to his kinsfolk from the sons of Abd al-Muttalib, and set aside a share for the Muslim orphans, a share for their needy, and a share for the Muslims stranded upon a journey that was not for trade. This was the day of Badr, and this was the way of distributing spoils taken by the sword. As for that which is obtained without the charge of horsemen and camel-riders [and military expedition, its story is this]: when the Muhajirun came to Medina, the Ansar gave them half of their houses and half of their wealth. The Muhajirun at that time numbered close to a hundred men, and when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) triumphed over Banu Qurayza and Banu Nadir and seized their wealth, he (peace be upon him and his family) said to the Ansar: "If you wish, expel the Muhajirun from your houses and your wealth, and I will divide these [spoils] among them alone; and if you wish, continue to leave your wealth and houses that you have placed at their disposal with them, and I will divide these spoils between you and them."

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Sinan said: I was in the service of Imam Rida (peace be upon him) in Khurasan. When Ma'mun sat on Mondays and Thursdays to attend to the people's requests, he would seat him on his right. It was reported to Ma'mun that a Sufi man had committed theft. He ordered that he be brought. As soon as his eyes fell upon him, he saw that he appeared to be a pious man with a prominent mark of prostration on his forehead. He said: "Alas! With this praiseworthy appearance, that such an ugly act should issue from him — with this appearance which is a sign of worship and piety, you have stolen?" He said: "I was compelled to do this; I had no other choice, because you did not pay me my right from the khums (one-fifth) and the spoils." Ma'mun said: "What right do you have in the khums and the spoils?" He said: "Allah has divided the khums into six shares and said: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُم... [And know that whatever thing you gain...]".

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Isma'il ibn Jabir narrates from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) that Imam Ali (peace be upon him), in part of a long hadith, said: "As for what has come in the Qur'an about the sustenance of the people and its means, Allah has informed us that it is from five aspects: the aspect of indication..., and the aspect of indication is this saying of Allah, who said: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمساکِینِ [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy]. According to this verse, Allah has set the khums (one-fifth) of the spoils for these persons, and this khums is taken out of four things: from the spoils which the Muslims obtain from the polytheists; from mines; from treasures; and from wealth obtained by diving into the sea. Then this khums is divided into six parts: the Imam (peace be upon him) takes from those six parts the share of Allah, the share of the Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), and the share of Dhul-Qurba (the near of kin) (peace be upon him), and the three remaining shares are divided among the orphans, the poor, and the wayfarers from the family of Muhammad (peace be upon them)." Then, for the one upon whom the administration of the affairs of the Muslims rests (that is, the Imam (peace be upon him), and in the time of occultation, the wali al-faqih), in addition to the khums, there is the anfal (spoils) which belonged to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: یَسْئَلُونَکَ عَنِ الْانفال قُلِ الْانفال لِلهِ وَ الرَّسُولِ [They ask you about the anfal; say: the anfal belong to Allah and the Messenger]. The Muslims asked about the anfal so that they might take it for themselves, and Allah answered them with this verse. The proof of this [that they wanted the anfal for themselves] is the continuation of this verse, which says: فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ وَ أَصْلِحُوا ذاتَ بَیْنِکُمْ وَ أَطِیعُوا اللهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ إِنْ کُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِینَ [So fear Allah and set aright matters between you, and obey Allah and His Messenger if you are believers]; that is, be bound to obedience of Allah and do not request what you are not entitled to.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin] — what is meant by ذوالقربی (the near of kin) is the infallible Imam (peace be upon him). وَ الْیَتامی وَ المَساکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ [and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer] — what is meant is only the orphans, the needy and the stranded wayfarers from the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). From the spoils, the khums (fifth) is separated out and divided into six shares: a share for Allah, a share for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and a share for the Imam (peace be upon him). The share of Allah and the share of the Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) are inherited by the Imam (peace be upon him), so the Imam (peace be upon him) has three shares out of six, and the remaining three shares are for the orphans, the needy and the stranded wayfarers from the family of the Messenger (peace be upon him and his family). The reason the Imam (peace be upon him) alone takes three shares of the [six shares of] khums is that Allah has made incumbent upon the Imam (peace be upon him) what He had made incumbent upon the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): the upbringing of orphans, the provision of the [poor] Muslims, the paying off of their debts, and [the expenses of] taking them on Hajj and jihad. This is [in accordance with] the words of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) when Allah revealed to him: النَّبِیُّ أَوْلَی بِالْمُؤْمِنِینَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ [The Prophet has a greater claim on the believers than they have on themselves] (al-Ahzab/6), and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) is a father to the believers. Since Allah made him the father of the believers, everything a father is obliged to do for his child is likewise obligatory upon the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) [to do for the believers]. At the time this verse was revealed, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Whoever leaves behind wealth, it is for his heirs, and whoever leaves behind a debt or dependants without a guardian, it is upon me [to pay his debt and take charge of his dependants]." These duties are also incumbent upon the Imam (peace be upon him), and for this reason three shares of the [six shares of the] khums have been assigned to the Imam (peace be upon him).

The Messenger (peace be upon him and his family): When Ali (peace be upon him), al-Abbas, Fatima (peace be upon her) and Usama ibn Zayd gathered before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Ask of me." ... Then he said to Ali (peace be upon him): "You too, ask." Ali (peace be upon him) said: "I ask you for the khums." He said: "It is for you." And this verse was revealed: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah]. ... The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Regarding the khums such-and-such has been revealed." Ali (peace be upon him) said: "This is even more fitting for my right." Then he brought the intact spear and the broken spear, and the intact egg and the broken egg, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) took four-fifths and left one-fifth in his hand.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): [In a letter addressed to Muawiyah he wrote:] "Before this, we have known you well — you and your enmity and your envy and the disease that is in your heart, which Allah has brought to light — and [we have known] my kinship [with the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)] and my right which you have denied. This share and right of ours has come in the Book of Allah, and He apportioned it to us along with our Prophet. He said: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin], and He said: So give the near of kin his right (Rum/38). Did you not find our share along with the share of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), and your own share along with those who have no kinship with the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)? If you have no kinship with the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), you will have no share [from them] either, for Allah has established our share and has dropped your share, since you have no kinship with the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)."

Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him): Shaykh al-Saduq, in the book Uyun Akhbar al-Rida (peace be upon him), in the section on the gathering of Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him) with al-Ma'mun concerning the difference between the itra (the Prophet's family) and the ummah, relates a lengthy hadith, part of which is as follows: The scholars [who were from among the people of Iraq and Khurasan] said to Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him): "Inform us — has Allah interpreted istifa' (choosing/election) in the Qur'an?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Allah has interpreted istifa' in the outward [meaning] of the Qur'an in twelve places, and this is apart from what is contained in the inward [and ta'wil] of the Qur'an. The first place is the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: 'And warn your nearest kinsfolk.' (Shu'ara/214) ... And as for the eighth case, it is the noble verse: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin], in which Allah has joined the share of the near of kin with His own share and with the share of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family); and this too is one aspect of distinction between the Family and the ummah, because Allah has placed them in one station and placed the [rest of the] people in a different station, and He has been pleased for them with what He was pleased with for Himself, and in this matter He has chosen them. [In this verse] Allah began with Himself, then mentioned the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and after that the near of kin. So whatever wealth is obtained from the disbelievers without fighting, and every ghanimah (spoil of war) or other than that which Allah was pleased with for Himself, He was likewise pleased with for them; and concerning this He said: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin]. This is a firm and enduring emphasis, and a mark that will remain for them until the Day of Resurrection in the Book of Allah — the speaking Book, which no falsehood approaches from before it nor from behind it, a revelation from One All-Wise, Praiseworthy. (Fussilat/42) It will remain for them. As for His saying: وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکِینِ [and the orphans and the needy] — [it is not that these two groups have a permanent share of the spoils; rather] when the orphan reaches the age of maturity, he leaves the ruling of ghanimah and will have no share in it; and likewise the poor person, when he is freed from poverty, will have no share in the ghanimah, and it will not be lawful for him to take from it. But the share of dhu al-qurba (the near of kin) remains until the Day of Resurrection for the wealthy and the needy among them, because no one is more free of need than Allah the Mighty and Majestic and His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family); and yet, along with the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and dhu al-qurba, Allah has appointed a share for Himself and a share for His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), and what He was pleased with for Himself and for His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) He was pleased with for dhu al-qurba as well. Likewise the fay' (that which is obtained from the disbelievers without fighting): whatever of it He was pleased with for Himself and for His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), He was pleased with for dhu al-qurba as well, just as He gave them a share in the ghanimah — beginning with Himself, glorified is His majesty, then His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), then them, and joining their share with the share of Allah and the share of His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn Sinan narrates from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and says: I heard him say: "Najda al-Haruri wrote a letter to Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him) and asked about the cases and instances of paying khums — to whom does it belong? So he wrote to him thus: 'As for the khums, we claim that it belongs to us, and our people claim that it does not belong to us. So we bore it with patience.'"

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim says: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him), regarding the verse: وَ اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبَی [And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of kin], said: "They are the near of kin of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and the khums belongs to Allah, and to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and to us."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): The khums is on five things: on spoils of war, on diving [pearls and the like], on treasures, on mines, and on salt-mines. From all these categories the khums is taken and given to those for whom Allah has appointed it. The four-fifths are divided among those who fought for it and undertook it, and the khums is divided among them [the entitled] into six shares: a share for Allah, a share for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), a share for the near of kin (dhawi'l-qurba), a share for the orphans, a share for the needy, and a share for the wayfarers. The share of Allah and the share of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) go to the ulu'l-amr (those in authority) after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) as inheritance. So three shares reach him: two shares by inheritance and a share apportioned to him from Allah. Therefore half of the khums, in full, is his. And the remaining half of the khums is divided among his Ahl al-Bayt, in a measure sufficient for their year; if anything remains in excess, it belongs to the wali (the one in authority). And if it falls short of their sufficiency, it is upon the wali to spend from his own [share] to the extent that they are made independent [of need]. From this side, providing for their expenses becomes obligatory upon him, because whatever is left over reaches him. Indeed, Allah has appointed this khums specifically for them, and not for the ordinary poor and wayfarers [among the people], because the khums is for them a substitute for the charities (sadaqat) of the people [so that they need not take charity from the people], and so that, on account of their kinship with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), their standing may be preserved and they may be kept far from the impurities of the people [that is, from being given the impure wealth of the people as charity]. So Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has appointed a special bestowal for them which makes them independent [of need] and does not place them in a position of humiliation and destitution; and there is no objection to their giving sadaqa to one another. Those for whom Allah has appointed the khums are the kinsmen of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), whom Allah has mentioned when He said: "And warn your nearest kindred" (Shu'ara/214). They are the Banu Abd al-Muttalib, both men and women, and there is no one among them from any of the noble families of Quraysh nor from the Arabs. And their mawali (freed slaves) also have no share in this khums, and at times the sadaqat of the people are permitted to their mawali; in that matter they are equal with the people. And likewise, whoever's mother is from Banu Hashim and whose father is from another of the families of Quraysh, sadaqa is permitted to them, and they have no portion of the khums, because Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: "Call them by [the names of] their fathers" (Ahzab/5).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ishaq narrates from a man, and that man from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), who said: "I asked him about the share of al-safwa (the pure/select portion)." He said: "It was for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family); four-fifths were for the fighters and the steadfast ones, and one-fifth is divided among the recipients of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). We say that it (these portions) is for us, and the people say it is not for you. One share is for dhawi al-qurba (the near of kin), and it is ours, and three shares are for the orphans, the needy, and the wayfarers, which the Imam divides among them. So if one dirham reaches each group of them, the Imam then rules concerning it and assigns it to dhawi al-qurba." And he said: "They return it to us."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Sadir narrates from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) who said: "O Abu al-Fadl! By the testimony of the Book of Allah, we have a right in the khums. So if they erase it and say: it is not from Allah, or they do not recognise it, it makes no difference [in any case it belongs to us]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Durays al-Kunasi said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "By what path do people fall into fornication?" I said: "I do not know, may I be your ransom." He said: "By way of our khums, [that of] the Ahl al-Bayt, [which they do not pay]; except our pure Shia, for whom the khums has been made lawful so that they may be born legitimately."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Indeed, the hardest difficulty that people will face on the Day of Judgement is that the owner of the khums will stand up and say: "O Lord! Where is my khums?" And we made this pure for our Shia so that their birth may be wholesome and pure.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Indeed, the most severe and hardest state that people will face on the Day of Judgement will occur when the owner of the khums stands up and says: "O Lord! Where is my khums?" And our Shia bear no responsibility towards him.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) used to act in this way: whenever spoils of war reached him, he would take the choicest portion of them, and that would belong to him. Then he would divide the remainder into five fifths and take one fifth of it. Then he would divide the four fifths among those who had fought to obtain it, and the portion (the khums) which he had taken he would divide into five parts, taking the fifth of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, for himself. Then he would divide the other four parts among the near of kin (dhawi'l-qurba), the orphans, the needy and the wayfarers, giving each of them their share. And the Imam [acts] in the same manner.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was asked about this word of Allah: وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکینَ [and the orphans and the needy]. He (peace be upon him) said: "What is meant is the orphans and the needy from among us, the Ahl al-Bayt."

Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him): وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکینِ [and the orphans and the needy]; when the orphan's orphanhood comes to an end, he goes out of [being entitled to] the spoils and no longer has a share in them. Likewise the needy person: when his period of destitution ends, it is the same — he no longer has a share of the spoils, and it is not permissible for him to take it.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ishaq ibn Ammar narrates from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) that he said: "On the nineteenth of the month of Ramadan the two groups meet one another." I said: "What is the meaning of his words 'the two groups meet' (yaltaqi'l-jam'an)?" He said: "At this time, what He wishes to bring forward or put back is brought together, and His will and His decree come together. (He decrees the affairs.)"

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Ghusl [both obligatory and recommended] is in seventeen instances; one of them is on the night of the seventeenth of the month of Ramadan, which is the night on which the two groups [the believers and the disbelievers] met one another in the battle of Badr.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Ghusl is [prescribed] in seventeen instances, one of which is the night of the seventeenth of the month of Ramadan, and that is the night on which the two groups — the Muslims and the polytheists (the night of the Battle of Badr) — stood face to face.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Amr ibn Sa'id said: A man from the people of Medina was disputing with me about the night of al-Furqan, that is, the night on which the two groups met. The Medinan said: "This night is the seventeenth night of Ramadan." So I came into the presence of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and informed him of the matter. He said to me: "The Medinan has denied [the truth]. You mean the striking of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). His holiness was struck on the nineteenth night of the month of Ramadan, that is, the very night on which Isa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) was raised up."