Al-Kāfi - The Book of al-Zakat

Al-Kāfi - The Book of al-Zakat Chapter: Who Can Lawfully Receive Zakat and Who Cannot َدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ ٠َّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَ٠َّارٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلا٠ِنَ الْعِيَالِ وَهُوَ يَقُوتُهُ٠ْ فِيهَا قُوتاً شَدِيداً وَلَيْسَ لَهُ حِرْفَةٌ بِيَدِهِ وَإِنَّ٠َا يَسْتَبْضِعُهَا فَتَغِيبُ عَنْهُ الأشْهُرَ ثُ٠ِنْ فَضْلِهَا أَ تَرَى لَهُ إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الزَّكَاةُ أَنْ يُخْرِجَهَا ٠َالِهِ فَيَعُودَ بِهَا عَلَى عِيَالِهِ يُسْبِغُ عَلَيْهِ٠ْ بِهَا النَّفَقَةَ قَالَ نَعَ٠ْ وَلَكِنْ يُخْرِجُ ٠ِنْهَا الشَّيْ‏ءَ الدِّرْهَ٠8.

Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who has eight hundred dirham, his son has two hundred dirham. He has ten dependents to feed. He lives with difficulty and does not have any profession. He only uses his dirham as capital to earn his living. It remains idle for months. He uses his savings for his expenses.

Do you consider it proper his taking from Zakat that he owes to spend and facilitate his dependents? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so, but he must take it in the form of dirham.’”