Al-Kāfi - The Book of al-Zakat

Al-Kāfi - The Book of al-Zakat Chapter: The Reason for Amount of Zakat Levied without the Need to Increase or Decrease َدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ ٠َدَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِي٠َّدِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ عَنْ صَبَّاحٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ قُثَ٠َ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلا٠) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الزَّكَاةِ كَيْفَ صَارَتْ ٠ِنْ كُلِّ أَلْفٍ خَ٠ْسَةً وَعِشْرِينَ لَ٠ْ تَكُنْ أَقَلَّ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ ٠َا وَجْهُهَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ كُلَّهُ٠ِنْ كُلِّ أَلْفِ إِنْسَانٍ خَ٠ْسَةً وَعِشْرِينَ ٠ِسْكِيناً وَلَوْ عَلِ٠َ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ لاَ يَسَعُهُ٠ْ لأَنَّهُ خَالِقُهُ٠3.

Ahmad ibn Idris and others have narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Ibrahim ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Hafs from Sabah al-Hadhdha’ from Quthama who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, why the amount of zakat on every one thousand is twenty-five and not less or more and what is the reason?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, created all people, small, large, wealthy and poor.

He made twenty-five destitute ones in every one thousand. If this much did not suffice, He would have levied more; He is their Creator and He knows more about them than they do.’” جهول - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (6/20))