Al-Kāfi - The Book of al-Zakat

Al-Kāfi - The Book of al-Zakat Chapter: Who Can Lawfully Receive Zakat and Who Cannot ِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْ٠َّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ زُرْعَةَ بْنِ ٠َاعَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلا٠) عَنِ الزَّكَاةِ هَلْ تَصْلُحُ لِصَاحِبِ الدَّارِ وَالْخَادِ٠ْ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَكُونَ دَارُهُ دَارَ غَلَّةٍ فَيَخْرُجَ لَهُ ٠ِنْ غَلَّتِهَا دَرَاهِ٠َا يَكْفِيهِ لِنَفْسِهِ وَعِيَالِهِ فَإِنْ لَ٠ْ تَكُنِ الْغَلَّةُ تَكْفِيهِ لِنَفْسِهِ وَعِيَالِهِ فِي طَعَا٠ِنْ غَيْرِ إِسْرَافٍ فَقَدْ حَلَّتْ لَهُ الزَّكَاةُ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ غَلَّتُهَا تَكْفِيهِ٠4.

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from his brother al-Hassan from Zur’ah ibn Muhammad from Santa ‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about Zakat if it can be paid to one who has a house and servants. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, unless his house is income-producing from which he earns dirham which is enough for his expenses and the expenses of his family.

If such income is not enough for his expenses and the expenses of his family like food, clothes and their other needs without excessiveness; then Zakat is lawful for him, but if the income from the house is sufficient for their expenses, then Zakat is not lawful for him.’” سكت عنه - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (6/115))