عن مُعاذٍ رضي اللّه عنه قال: بعَثَنِي رسولُ اللّه صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم فقال: «إنَّكَ تَأْتِي قوْمًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الكِتَاب، فادْعُهُمْ إِلَى شَهَادة أَنْ لا إِلَٰهَ إلَّا اللّه، وأَنِّي رسول اللّه فإِنْ هُمْ أَطاعُوا لِذَلِكَ، فَأَعْلِمهُمْ أَنَّ اللّه قَدِ افْترضَ علَيْهم خَمْسَ صَلَواتٍ في كُلِّ يومٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لِذلكَ، فَأَعلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ اللّه قَدِ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيهمْ صدَقَةً تُؤْخذُ مِنْ أَغنيائِهِمْ فَتُرَدُّ عَلَى فُقَرائِهِم، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لِذَلكَ، فَإِيَّاكَ وكَرائِمَ أَمْوالِهم. واتَّقِ دعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْس بينها وبيْنَ اللّه حِجَابٌ» متفقٌ عليه.
Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent me and said: "You are going to a people from the People of the Book. Invite them to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they comply with that, then inform them that Allah has made obligatory upon them five daily prayers. If they comply with that, then inform them that Allah has made obligatory upon them a charity (zakat) taken from their wealthy and given to their poor. If they comply with that, then beware of taking the best of their wealth. And fear the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah." Agreed upon (narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
بعثني: أي أرسلني أميرًا على اليمن. أهل الكتاب: اليهود والنصارى، وقد كانوا في اليمن أكثر من مشركي العرب. فادعهم إلى شهادة... إلخ: أي ادعهم إلى الإسلام والإيمان والنطق بالشهادتين. صدقة: هي الزكاة. إيّاك وكرائم أموالهم: احذر نفائس أموالهم. حجاب: مانع يمنع من وصولها إليه تعالى، والمراد أنّه يقبلها ولا يردّها.
Sent me (ba'athani): meaning he dispatched me as a governor over Yemen. People of the Book (ahl al-kitab): the Jews and Christians, who were more numerous in Yemen than the Arab polytheists. Invite them to testify (fad'uhum ila shahadah...): meaning invite them to Islam, to faith, and to utter the two testimonies of faith. Charity (sadaqah): referring to zakat. Beware of taking the best of their wealth (iyyaka wa kara'im amwalihim): avoid taking the choicest of their possessions. Barrier (hijab): an obstacle that prevents it from reaching Him, the Most High; the meaning is that He accepts it and does not reject it.
الدروس · lessons
وجوب تبليغ الكفار ودعوتهم إلى الإسلام قبل قتالهم. الزكاة تؤخذ من أغنياء البلد وترد على فقرائه، ولا تنقل إلى بلد آخر إلّا إذا زادت عن حاجة المستحقين فيه، وكان في غيره مستحقون محتاجون إليها. ليس للعامل أن يأخذ الزكاة من خيار مال الأغنياء، وإن فعل ذلك فإنه ظالم. الحذر من الظلم، فإن دعوة المظلوم لا ترد.
It is obligatory to convey the message to disbelievers and invite them to Islam before fighting them. Zakat is taken from the wealthy of a locality and distributed to its poor; it should not be transferred to another region unless it exceeds the needs of those entitled to it in that area, and there are eligible recipients elsewhere in need of it. The zakat collector must not take the finest of the wealthy people's possessions; if he does so, he is an oppressor. Beware of injustice, for the supplication of the oppressed is never rejected.