Zakat hulipwa, iwe ni mifugo, mazao na matunda, sarafu, au bidhaa za biashara, kwa Khalifa au mwakilishi wake kama wakuu wa mikoa (Wulat) au watumishi (‘Amileen), au yeyote atakayemteua kuwa wakusanyaji (Su’at) na wafanyakazi (‘Amileen) wa Sadaqat. Allah (SWT) amesema:

Zakat is paid, whether it is livestock, crops and fruits, currency or trading merchandise to the Khalifah or his representative such as governors (Wulat) or workers (‘Amileen) or whoever he appoints as collectors (Su’at) and employees (‘Amileen) over the Sadaqat. Allah (swt) said:

Chukua sadaqah kutoka katika mali zao ili uwasafishe na kuwatakasa kwayo, na uwaombee. Hakika maombi yako ni utulivu kwao. [At-Tauba: 103]

“Take Sadaqah from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and pray for them. Verily your prayer is peace for them” [At-Tauba: 103]

Allah (swt) alimwajibisha Mtume wake (ﷺ) katika Aya hii kuchukua Sadaka kutoka kwa wenye mali, na Mtume (ﷺ) alikuwa akiwateua watawala, wafanyakazi na wakusanyaji wa kuchukua Sadaka kutoka kwa wenye mali, kama vile alivyokuwa akiwateua wakadiriaji (Khurraas) wa kukadiria mavuno ya mitende na mizabibu. Watu wa wakati wa Mtume (ﷺ) walikuwa wakimlipa Zaka yeye, au wale watawala, wafanyakazi na wakusanyaji aliowateua juu ya Sadaka. Hali hii iliendelea hivyo baada yake, katika zama za Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, Uthman na Ali. Ibn Sireen amesimulia: “Sadaka ilikuwa ikilipwa kwa Mtume (ﷺ) au yeyote aliyemwamuru, kwa Abu Bakr au yeyote aliyemwamuru, kwa ‘Umar na yeyote aliyemwamuru, kwa Uthman na yeyote aliyemwamuru. ‘Umar alipouawa walitofautiana; baadhi yao waliendelea kuwalipa, huku wengine wakigawa Sadaka yao wenyewe. Miongoni mwa waliowalipa ni Ibn ‘Umar.”

Allah (swt) obliged His Messenger (saw) in this Ayah to take Sadaqah from the owners of wealth, and the Messenger (saw) used to appoint governors, workers and collectors to take the Sadaqah from the owners of wealth just as he would appoint estimators (Khurraas) to estimate the harvest of the palm and grape trees. People at the time of the Prophet (saw) used to pay the Zakat to him or those governors, workers and collectors whom he appointed over the Sadaqah. The situation continued like this after him in the time of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, Uthman and Ali. Ibn Sireen narrated: “Sadaqah used to be paid to the Prophet (saw) or whoever he had ordered, to Abu Bakr or whoever he ordered, to ‘Umar and whoever he ordered, to Uthman and whoever he ordered. When ‘Umar was killed they differed, some of them would pay it to them while others would themselves divide their Sadaqah. Among those who paid to them was ibn ‘Umar.”.

Zakat hulipwa kwa Khalifah au yule anayemteua kuwa watawala, magavana, wafanyakazi na wakusanyaji, hata kama walikuwa madhalimu, mradi tu hukumu ya Kiislamu inatekelezwa. Hili linatumika hata kama kuna upungufu katika utekelezaji. Suhayl b. Abi Salih alisimulia kutoka kwa baba yake aliyesema: “Nilimwuliza Sa’ad b. Abi Waqqas, Abu Hurayra, Abu Said al-Khudry na Ibn ‘Umar: ‘Mtawala huyu anafanya yale mnayoweza kuona (ya uovu). Je, nilipe Zakat yangu kwao?’ Wote walisema: ‘Mlipe kwao.’” Ibn ‘Umar alisema: “Toa kwa yule ambaye Allah (swt) amemweka kusimamia mambo yenu. Aliye mwema, ni kwa nafsi yake mwenyewe, na aliye mwovu, ni dhidi ya nafsi yake.”

Zakat is paid to the Khalifah or whoever he appoints as rulers, governors, workers and collectors, even if they were oppressors so long as the Islamic ruling is implemented. This applies even if there are shortcomings in the implementation. Suhayl b. Abi Salih narrated from his father who said: “I asked Sa’ad b. Abi Waqqas, Abu Hurayra, Abu Said al-Khudry and ibn ‘Umar: ‘This ruler is doing what you can see (of evil). Should I pay my Zakat to them?’ He said: They all said; ‘Pay it to them.’” Ibn ‘Umar said: “Give it to whoever Allah (swt) put in charge of your affairs. Whoever is good, it is for his own self and whoever is evil, it is against himself.”.

Kumekuwa na simulizi kutoka kwa Maswahaba na Tabi'in zinazoruhusu mtu kutoa Zakat mwenyewe na kuiweka mahali pake endapo ni fedha za sarafu. Ilisimuliwa kuwa Kaysan alimjia 'Umar akiwa na Dirham 200 kama Sadaqah, akimwambia: "Ee Amiri wa Waumini, hii ndiyo Zakat ya mali yangu." Basi 'Umar akamwambia: "Nenda wewe mwenyewe ukazigawe." Pia imesimuliwa kutoka kwa Ibn Abbas kwamba alisema: "Hakuna tatizo ukiiweka mahali pake na usimpe chochote katika hiyo mtu unayemtegemea." Pia imesimuliwa kauli ya Ibrahim na Al-Hassan waliosema: "Iweke mahali pake na uifiche." Haya yanahusu fedha za sarafu. Kwa upande wa mifugo, mazao na matunda, hayo lazima yalipwe kwa Khalifah au yule anayemteua, kwani Abu Bakr aliwapiga vita wale waliokataa Zakat, walipokataa kuilipa kwa magavana na wakusanyaji, akisema: "Wallahi, ikiwa watanikatalia mwana mbuzi (‘Unaq) mmoja ambao walikuwa wakimpa Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ, nitapigana nao kwa ajili yake."

There have come some narration from the Sahabah and followers (Tabi’in) allowing a person to distribute Zakat personally and to put it in its place in case of hard money i.e. currency. It was narrated that Kaysan came to ‘Umar with 200 Dirhams as Sadaqah, saying to him: “O Amir al-Mu’mineen, this is the Zakat of my wealth.” So ‘Umar said to him: “You go and distribute it yourself.” It has also been narrated from ibn Abbas that he said: “There is no problem if you put it in its place and don’t give anything of it to anyone whom you support.” It was also narrated the statement of Ibrahim and Al- Hassan said: “Put it in its place and conceal it.” This is in relation to the hard money i.e. currency. As for livestock, crops and fruits. these must be paid to the Khalifah or whoever he appoints, for Abu Bakr fought those who denied the Zakat, when they refused to pay it to the governors and collectors, saying: “By Allah (swt), if they deny me one baby goat (‘Unaq) that they used to give to the Messenger of Allah (saw) I will fight them for it.”.

Inapendekezwa kwa mpokeaji kumwombea dua mtoaji kwa kusema: "Allah (swt) akulipe kwa uliyotoa, akubariki katika uliyoyatumia na aufanye kuwa ni utakaso kwako." Ikiwa inalipwa kwa Khalifah au kwa yule aliyemteua, mtoaji wa Zakat anapaswa kuombewa dua. Allah (swt) amesema:

It is recommended for the taker to pray for the giver by saying: “Allah (swt) reward you in what you have given, bless you in what you have spent and make it a purification for you.” If it is paid to the Khalifah or one he has appointed, the giver of Zakat should be prayed for. Allah (swt) said:

Chukua sadaqah kutoka katika mali zao ili uwasafishe na kuwatakasa kwayo, na uwaombee. Hakika maombi yako ni utulivu kwao. [At-Tauba: 103]

“Take Sadaqah from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and pray for them. Verily your prayer is peace for them” [At-Tauba: 103]

Abdullah bin Abi Awfa alisimulia: "Baba yangu alikuwa miongoni mwa wenye miti, na Mtume ﷺ alikuwa akiwaombea wale waliokuja kwake na Sadaka zao akisema: 'Ee Allah (SWT), wasamehe watu wa familia ya fulani.' Baba yangu alikuja kwake na Sadaka yake, basi akasema: 'Ee Allah (SWT), wasamehe watu wa familia ya Abu Awfa.'" (Imekubaliwa na Bukhari na Muslim).

Abdullah bin Abi Awfa narrated: “My father was among the owners of trees, and the Prophet (saw) used to pray for those who came to him with their Sadaqah saying: ‘O Allah (swt), forgive the family of so and so.’ My father came to him with his Sadaqah, so he said: ‘O Allah (swt), forgive the family of Abu Awfa’” (agreed upon).

Ikiwa Mwislamu anamiliki kiwango cha mali (Nisab) ambacho Zakat ni wajibu, basi ni wajibu wake kulipa Zakat yake. Akikataa kutoa haki yake, ni dhambi kubwa, kama ilivyotajwa katika Hadithi zilizokuja kuhusu mali za Sadaqah, zinazokemea vikali wale wasiolipa Zakat ya mali zao.

If the Muslim possesses the Nisab of wealth in which Zakat is obligatory, it is obligatory upon him to pay its Zakat. If he refuses to give its due right, it is a grave sin as was mentioned in the Ahadith which came regarding the subject of Sadaqah properties in terms of severely condemning those who don’t pay the Zakat on their wealth.

Hali halisi ya mtu anayekataa kutoa Zakat inachunguzwa. Ikiwa alikataa kulipa kwa sababu ya kutojua wajibu wake, kama ilivyo kwa watu wengi ambao kwa kawaida hawajui kanuni hiyo hiyo, basi anaelezwa wajibu wake. Hahukumiwi kuwa kafiri wala haadhibiwi, kwa sababu ya udhuru wake, na Zakat inachukuliwa kutoka kwake.

The reality of the one who refuses to pay Zakat is examined. If he denied paying it due to his ignorance of its obligation, such as the people who are usually ignorant of the same rule, then he is informed of its obligation. He is neither declared a Kafir nor is he punished, due to his excuse, and the Zakat is taken from him.

Ikiwa mtu atakataa na kukanusha wajibu wake, huyo ni mtu aliyeacha Uislamu (murtadi) na atashughulikiwa kama murtadi. Ataombwa atubie mara tatu. Akitubu na kujutia, Zaka hiyo itachukuliwa kutoka kwake na ataachwa huru. Asipotubu, atauawa, kwa sababu wajibu wa Zaka unajulikana katika dini kwa lazima. Dalili za kuwajibisha Zaka ziko wazi katika Kitabu, Sunnah na Ijmaa, kiasi kwamba karibu haiwezekani kwa Muislamu yeyote kuzifahamu.

If he refuses, and denies its obligation, he is an apostate and is treated like an apostate. He is asked to repent thrice; if he repents and is remorseful, it is taken from him and he is left free. If not, he is killed because the obligation of Zakat is known from the deen by necessity. The evidences for obliging Zakat are clear in the Book, Sunnah and Ijma’a, such that they can scarcely be hidden from any Muslim.

Ikiwa mtu anakataa kulipa huku akiamini kuwa ni wajibu, basi inachukuliwa kutoka kwake kwa nguvu. Ikiwa kundi linakataa kulipa Zakat kwa Dola, na kukataa wajibu wa kutii katika kulipa Zakat kwake, na likawa na nguvu na kuimarika katika eneo fulani, Dola itapigana nao kama waasi, kama vile Abu Bakr na Masahaba walivyofanya dhidi ya wale waliokataa Zakat.

If he denies paying it while believing in its obligation, it is taken from him by force. If a group refuses to pay Zakat to the State, and reject the obligation of obedience in paying Zakat to it and became strong and entrenched in an area, the State will fight them as rebels like Abu Bakr and the Sahabah did with those who denied the Zakat.