عن عبدِ الله بنِ مُعاويةَ رضي الله عنه ، قال: قال النبيُّ ﷺ:«ثلاثٌ مَن فعَلهنَّ فقد طَعِمَ طَعْمَ الإيمانِ:مَن عبَدَ اللهَ وحدَه، وأنه لا إلهَ إلا اللهُ،وأعطى زكاةَ ماله طيِّبةً بها نفْسُهُ، رافدةً عليه كلَّ عام،ولا يُعطي الهَرِمةَ، ولا الدَّرِنةَ، ولا المريضةَ، ولا الشَّرَطَ اللئيمةَ؛ولكنْ مِن وسَطِ أموالكم؛ فإنَّ اللهَ لم يَسألْكم خيرَه، ولم يأمُرْكم بشرِّه»
‘Abdullāh ibn Mu‘āwiyah narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
1. Whoever does three things will experience the taste of faith. 2. To worship God alone [believing] that there is no deity other than God; 3. To give the zakat due on his property willingly and cheerfully, as it becomes due every year; 4. Not to give [in zakat] an old animal, or one with scabies, or a sickly one, or a small unwanted one; 5. But choose from among the average of your property. God has neither required you to give the best, nor told you to choose the worst.
Related by Abu Dāwūd, 1582.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions some matters that tell of a person’s faith. These are believing in God’s oneness, paying one’s due zakat willingly, seeking God’s pleasure and choosing what is of average quality from his property. If he has animals, then he should not give in zakat those that are ill, old or have clear defects.
