PUNISHMENT FOR NOT PAYING ZAKAH.

By Dr. Mohammad Obaidullah,

Zakah is a very significant obligatory 'ibadah' (worship) in Islam. It purifies the person's soul and not only increases the wealth but also protects it. According to al Nawawi's report from al Wahidi, the share of wealth that should be paid from a Muslim to he deservers is called zakah because it increases the funds from which it is taken and protects them from being lost or destroyed. Another prominent Muslim scholar Ibn Taimiyah said that the inner soul of the zakah payer becomes better, and his wealth becomes cleansed.

According to the Qur'an and Hadith, there are two kinds of punishment for not paying zakah such as (1) punishment in the life hereafter and (2) punishment in this world. Regarding the punishment in the life hereafter, the ultimate and infinite life after death, narrated Abu Hurairah, "The messenger of Allah, (pbuh) said: "He who is given wealth by Allah but he does not pay its zakah, that wealth is made for him, on the Day of Judgment, the form of a huge bald serpent with two horns, encircling that person and squeezing him all day, then holding him by lips telling him, 'I am your wealth, your treasure that you hoarded'. Then the Prophet quoted the verse, "and let not those who covetously withhold the gift that Allah hath given them of His grace, think that it is good for them. Nay, it will be the worse for them. Soon shall the things which they covetously withheld be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Judgment (Al Imran: 3:183)". (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Additionally, the Sunnah did not merely threaten of punishment in the life hereafter only for those who do not pay zakah, but also went on to warn them of a punishment in this worldly life. Sunnah mentions various types of punishment in this world for not paying zakah such as punishment from Allah and a penalty from the State. A hadith states about the punishment of Allah, "There are no people, who do not pay zakah, left without being made to suffer by God through disasters, or famine or drought." (al Targhibwa al Tarhib) In another saying, "Any people who do not pay zakah on their wealth, verily they will be prevented rain from sky except for animals and livestock." (Ibn Majah) And also, "Zakah is never intermingled with any amount of wealth without destroying and rotting it." (al-Bayhaqi). On the one hand, the legal penalty is mentioned by the Prophet (pbuh): "He who pays it seeking the reward from God will be rewarded and he who refuses to pay it, we shall take it from him, along with half of his wealth, and by the authority given to us by our Lord. The clan of Muhammad is not allowed to take anything of its proceeds." (Sunan al-Ahmad and Abu Dawud). Moreover, for the state government, the fighting against the people who reject to pay zakat is permissible in Islam as we can find the first caliph of Islam, Abu Bakr who did it during his rule. (Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim)