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Khums, One of Important Islamic Financial Resources
By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Naser Makarim Shirazi
The point which should be noticed before anything else in this discussion is that: With little study in history and “teachings” of Islam it clears that this religion was not only series of moral and belief orders and rulings about the origin and afterlife, but it bring a governing system with itself which guarantied all needs of a pure and advanced society, and surely one of pillars of his government had been constituting the Bayt Al-Mal (house of wealth; bursary) for eliminate financial needs.
Islamic Bayt Al-Mal (also Baitulmal) which had been founded by entering Prophet (S) to Medina and establishing Islamic government was consisted of funds which were collected from several sources:
1- From “Zakat” (Islamic concept of tithing and alms)
2- From “Khums” (one fifth; a kind of Islamic tax)
3- From “Anfal” (Spoils and also public resources)
4- From “Kharaj” (Islamic tax on agricultural land)
5- From “Jizya” (tax taken from religious minorities) which any of them has an explained section in Islamic Fiqh and exclusive orders and rulings.
Here in this booklet, our purpose is not to discuss about all sources of income of Islamic Bayt Al-Mal and costs and usages, but we only want to talk about “Khums”, because some people protest that: “Why Khums has been extended in Shi’aa and consists of any income, while firstly, Khums has been mentioned in holy Qur"an only for spoils and secondly, we have no historic record in which Prophet (S) or Ali (a.s.) or caliphs had took Khums from any source other than spoils while Shiite scholars and Faqihs insist that Khums means one fifth of surplus of income, and it is not limited to spoils of war but any income that can be made from agriculture or ranching, industry or business, working or any other sources.
A person should pay one fifth of his savings after subtracting costs for one year from any income that he had and pay it to Bayt Al-Mal in order to spend in defined usages, and they have no clear proof for this extending; and therefore Sunni scholars are not believed on Khums other than spoils of war and if we assume that Khums has some extending cases and advancements it is forgiven during the major absence of Imam Zaman (a.s.)!”
Here, some matters should be discussed accurately:
1-What is the “Purpose of the Objectors” from this much of brabble about the issue of Khums?
2- Is Khums exclusive to spoils of war in Qur’an?
3- Is Khums exclusive to spoils of war in cabbalas of Prophet (S)?
4- What do cabbalas of “Ahlul Bayt of Prophet (S)” say to us about this matter?
5- Has Khums been “forgiven” during the absence of Imam Zaman (a.s.)?
6- Had Khums been taken from people at the beginning of Islam according to history?
7- Is allocating Khums for Sadat (pl. of Sayyid) Discrimination?
Purpose of the Objectors
Some people try hard for proving two issues: one of them is the issue of unnecessity of Taqlid (following in religious rulings) and the other is the issue of unnecessity of Khums, and we can see clearly that matter has gone far from scientific discussions and has formed into brawling and demagoguism and we know that whenever a discussion goes far from the scientific form and enters into this kinds of paths, surly there are some news behind the curtains and other purposes has made that.
Evidences show that this group has began to fight with these two issues with a calculated plan, because they see that until spiritual leadership of society is performed by great Islamic scholars and Shiite Maraje’ (pl. of Marja’, person whom others follow him in rulings) and they have financial independence added to their deep influence in society, they are not capable of executing their evil plans for destroying the Islamic beliefs of people and nations, and at this moment they have chosen two sensitive points: First point is the issue of Taqlid which according to that each Muslim should be either Mujahid (Islamic scholar who is engaged in several Islamic fields of knowledge) or refer to a Mujtahid in matters about Islamic rulings and follow his orders.
They assumed that if they cut this scientific and spiritual relationship between people and religious leaders by poisoning in the issue of Taqlid, they can easily destroy the thoughts of people and until this relationship is connected penetration of them is very hard.
Therefore, they invite people to disconnect this connection explicitly in some booklets, while we know that the issue of referring to knowledgeable persons is from self evident matters in all aspects of life and any person refers to knowledgeable persons in daily life in medical, architectural, pharmaceutical and other matters and also according to this fact if a person cannot understand Islamic matters from Qur"an and tradition by himself/herself, refers to a scholar.
But they have arisen against this self evident matter for providing their own profits and invite people to disconnect any scientific relation with their spiritual leaders.(It has been discussed about the issue of Taqlid and all objections about it in an individual explained booklet and all points about the matter have been cleared).
Another matter that they have chosen is the issue of Khums and how calculated and planned they have chosen that.
Because we know that the share of Imam which is half of Khums is the financial fund of Shiite seminaries and propagation plans and cultural activities and briefly any religious of scientific activity which needs money; If oppositions of Shi’aa can prevent people from paying Khums and share of Imam by their poisoning, then they can reach one of their goals which is weakening our seminaries or changing their path.
In more clear way, existence of this Islamic order and act of some Muslims to that caused the complete independence of spiritual seminaries and scientific and propagating programs, because we know that the first condition of independence of an organization is its financial independence and this matter executed well in the world of Shi’aa by this Islamic order while the society of Sunni scholar has missed its independence because of ignorance of this order.
Especially, on one great Sunni scholars from Syria who had visited Qom seminary and also other different religious institutions in other cities, had been amazed that how the costs of these programs are provided, and when he noticed to the issue of Khums and share of Imam in programs of Shi"aa, he impressed so much that in return to his country one of his advices to his friends was to pay the Khums.
It is wonderful that others wish to execute these programs and achieve this great privilege which is complete independence in religious programs by them, but obstinate despiteful persons insist on taking this privilege from us.
But, they should know that lots of people have informed about this conspiracy and have known about their evil purposes, and accordingly it seems so unlikely that they can achieve their goals, and their fiasco can be predicted by now, and their plan is like a drawing on the water!
Is Khums Exclusive to Spoils in Qur’an?
The issue of Khums has only been mentioned once in holy Qur"an (and also it is not only Khums which has been mentioned in one verse, but there are lots of rulings of Qur"an which have been mentioned only once in Qur"an and there is no doubt that, this one time expression is enough). And that is verse 41 of Sura Anfal: And know that out of all the booty that ye may acquire (in war), a fifth share is assigned to Allah,- and to the Messenger, and to near relatives, orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer,- if ye do believe in Allah and in the revelation We sent down to Our servant on the Day of Testing,- the Day of the meeting of the two forces. For Allah hath power over all things. (8:41)
Important matter which should be noticed in this verse and in fact all the issue concentrates on it is that does the advantage which has been mentioned in this verse only consist of spoils of war or expands to any kind of income.
In the first form, this verse only expresses the spoils of war and for Khums of other things we should use tradition, news and correct and reliable cabbalas and there is no problem in that Qur"an points to a part of ruling in proportion and other parts express in tradition.
For example, quintet daily prayer has been mentioned explicitly in holy Qur’an, and also it has been pointed to the prayer of Tawaf (circumambulate the Ka’ba) which is one of obligatory prayers, but nothing has been mentioned about Ayaat (signs) prayer which is agreed by all Muslim, Shiites and Sonnies, and Ghazaa prayer and like them; and we cannot find anyone who says because Ayaat prayer has not been mentioned in Qur’an and it is only available in tradition of Prophet (S) should not be performed, or because it has been pointed to some Ghusls (full ablution) in Qur"an and nothing has been said about some other Ghusls, therefore we should abstain from them. This is a logic which no Muslim accepts.
Therefore, there is no problem that Qur"an has expressed only a part of cases of Khums and has leaved the others to tradition, and there are lots of issues like this in Islamic Fiqh and those who know even a little about issue of Fiqh have understood this matter completely; but we should find that what the meaning of advantage (ÛäیãÊ) literally and in commonsense is.
Indeed, is it exclusive to spoils of war or it consists of any kind of income?
The definition which derives from dictionaries is that in the literal root of this word there is nothing about war or the things which is gained from enemy, but it consists of any kind of income. We refer to some parts of famous dictionaries as evidence which are all accepted by Arab scientist and litterateurs: We read in the book “Lisan Al-Arab” (Tongue of Arab), vol. 12:
 æ ÇáÛäã: ÇáÝæÒ ÈÇáÔøìÁ ãä ÛیÑ ãÔÞøÉ æ... ÇáÛäã¡ÇáÛäیãÉ æ ÇáãÛäã¡ ÇáÝìÁ... æ Ýì ÇáÍÏیË ÇáÑøåä áãä Ñåäå áå Ûäãå æ Úáیå ÛÑãå¡ Ûäãå ÒیÇÏÊå æ äãÇÆå æ ÝÇÖá ÞیãÊå... æ Ûäã ÇáÔøìÁ ÛäãÇ: ÝÇÒ Èå 
“ Ûäã” means gaining a thing without any hardship and “ Ûäã”, “ÛäیãÊ” (advantage) and “ãÛäã” are all in the meaning of “ÝیÁ” (and also “ÝیÁ” has been meant literally as the things which reach a person without labor …) and it has been said in Hadith that pawn is for the person who has taken that pawn and its advantage (ÛäیãÊ) and benefit is for him, and also its compensation and loss is for him, and “Ûäã” means the excess, growth and surplus of the price … he take that as an advantage (ÛäیãÊ) means that he gained that …
And we read in the book “Taj Al-Arous” (the bride’s brown), vol. 9: Advantage (ÛäیãÊ) is the thing that person gains without hardship!
And also in the book “Al-Qamoos” it has been mentioned with the same meaning.
And in the book “Mufradat” by Ragheb “ÛäیãÊ” has been said to be derived from the root “Ûäã” in the meaning of “sheep” and then it says: Then it has been used in all things which person gains from enemy or non-enemy.
Even persons who consider one of the definitions of “ÛäیãÊ” as spoils of war do not deny that its main meaning is more expanded which implies to all things that a person can gain without hardship.
In common use advantage “ÛäیãÊ” is used against Fine “ÛÑÇãÊ” and as the meaning of fine is an expanded meaning and consists of any kind of fine, also advantage “ÛäیãÊ” has an expanded meaning and implies to any kind of notable income.
This word has been used in many cases in “Nahjul Balagha”: We read in sermon 76: Take advantage from opportunities.
And we read in sermon 120: Person who acts as the religion of Allah finds happiness and takes advantages.
And he says in letter 53 to Malik Ashtar: Do not be like a cruel animal against people of Egypt in the way that consider eating them as an advantage ÛäیãÊ” and a kind of income for yourself!
And he says in letter 45 to Osman ibn Hanif: I swear to Allah that I did reserve no gold from your world, and I did no saving from its advantages or incomes!
And it is in quotes, in sentence 331: Indeed pure Allah has made obedience as advantage and benefit of tactful people.
And we read in letter 31: If a person asks you for a loan when you are rich, consider this as an advantage "ÛäیãÊ"
And there are lots of expressions like these.
Opinion of Commentators
Lots of commentators who have discussed about this verse explicitly confessed that Advantage (ÛäیãÊ) has mainly a vast meaning and consists of spoils of war and other than them and generally all that a person could gain without hardship. Even those who consider this verse exclusive to spoils of war confess that there is no such a limitation in its main meaning, but for another reason its meaning has been limited.
“Ghartabi”, famous Sunni commentator, writes below this verse in his interpretation: “Literally, “advantage” (ÛäیãÊ) is the thing that a person or a group of people gain with endeavor … and know that the consensus (of Sunni scholars) is that the meaning of advantage (ÛäیãÊ) in the verse “æó ÇÚúáóãõæÇ ÇóäøóãÇ ÛóäöãúÊõãú” is assets which reach Muslims by fight and victory over infidels, but it should be considered that this limitation is not in its literal meaning as we said before, but this bond has been set in the common law of religion”.
“Fakhr Raazi1” affirms in his interpretation that: “ ÇáÛäã ÇáÝæÒ ÈÇáÔیÁ (advantage is that a person gains something”. And then after expressing this vast literal meaning adds: “Religious meaning of advantage (ÛäیãÊ) (in opinion of Sunni scholars) is spoils of war”.
And also in “Al-Manar2” interpretation, the definition of advantage (ÛäیãÊ) has been expressed in its vast meaning and it has not been limited to spoils of war, although author believes that according to religious bond the vast meaning of this verse should be limited to spoils of war.
Also it has been mentioned in the interpretation of “Rooh Al-Ma’aani” written by Aloosi, famous Sunni commentator, that: “Mainly, “Ûäã” (three word root of ÛäیãÊ in Arabic) means any kind of interest and benefit”.3
And in “Majma’ Al-Bayan” interpretation first advantage has been interpreted in the meaning of spoils of war, but during the explanation of the meaning of the verse it says:
ÞÇá ÇÍÇÈäÇ Çäø ÇáÎãÓ æÇÌÈ Ýì ˜áø ÝÇÆÏÉ ÊÍá ááÇäÓÇä ãä Çáã˜ÇÓÈ æ ÇÑÈÇÍ ÇáÊøÌÇÑÇÊ¡ æ Ýì Çá˜äæÒ æ ÇáãÚÇÏä æ ÇáÛæ æ ÛیÑÐᘠããøÇ åæ ãИæÑ Ýì Çá˜ÊÈ¡ æ یã˜ä Çä یÓÊÏáø Úáì ÐᘠÈåÐå ÇáÇیÉ ÝÇäø Ýì ÚÑÝ ÇááøÛÉ یØáÞ Úáì ÌãیÚ ÐᘠÇÓã ÇáÛäã æ ÇáÛäیãÉ
Shiite scholars believe that Khums is obligatory in any benefit that a person would gain, consisting of it is from business, or from treasure or mine and anything that derives from the sea by diving, and other jobs that has been mentioned in Fiqh books, and it is possible to ratiocinate with this claim about this verse because advantage ( ÛäیãÊ) implies to all of these in its common meaning”.4
It is amazing that some partial persons who seems to have a special mission for poisoning the common thoughts, have tried a funny falsification in their book which have written about Khums in the expression of Majma’ Al-Bayan interpretation; they have mentioned the first part of the expression which guaranties the interpretation of advantage ( ÛäیãÊ) in the meaning of spoils of war (according to the opinion of some commentators), but they have ignored the explanation about the generality of literal meaning of the word and the meaning of the verse completely and have ascribed a false matter to this great Islamic commentator, maybe they thought they are the only persons who have the book “Majma’ Al-Bayan” and nobody will read that book in order to reveal their lie to everyone and it is strange that they did not perform this betrayal only about this matter, but in other cases anything that might have benefit has been mentioned and anything that might be the opposite direction has been ignored.
Also it has been affirmed in Al-Mizan interpretation according to the words of scientists of literature that advantage ( ÛäیãÊ) is any benefit that person gains from business, working or the war and although the point for descending of the verse is spoils of war but we know that never the point particularizes the generality of definition.5
It is concluded from all that has been said: The verse of advantage ( ÛäیãÊ) has a vast meaning and consists of any kind of income, interest and benefit, because literal meaning of this word has a vast meaning and there is no clear proof about particularizing it in hand.
The only thing that some of Sunni commentators refer to, is that the verses before and after this verse are about Jihad and this matter shows that the verse of advantage ( ÛäیãÊ) points to spoils of war in proportion.
While we know that the reasons of descending or the direction of discussion in Suras never particularize the generality of a verse; and in more clear way, there is no problem in that the meaning of the verse to be a general and overall definition while the reason of descending the verse is one sample of that general and overall concept.
For example, we read in verse 7 of Sura Hashr: … So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. (59:7)
This verse says a general order about the necessity of obeying Prophet (S), while the case for descending was assets which has been taken under the ownership of Muslims from enemies without war (and the term “ ÝیÁ” is used for them).
And also in verse 233 of Sura Baqara: no soul shall have imposed upon it a duty but to the extent of its capacity; .. (2:233)
has been mentioned as a general rule while the case for descending was about paying women who feeding babied and it has been ordered to the father of infant to pay according to his ability; but can reference of the verse to this special matter prevent the generality of this rule (not to do more than the ability)?!
Briefly, this verse has been said among the verses of Jihad but it says: Pay one fifth (Khums) of any income that you gain from any source (which one of them is spoils of war). Specially the relative word ” (any) and the word “ ÔیÁ” (thing) which are two general and without any bond or condition words emphasize this matter.
1. Fakhr Raazi interpretation, vol. 15, page 164.
2. Al-Manar interpretation, vol. 10, pages 3-7.
3. Rooh Al-Ma’aani, vol. 10, page 2.
4. Majma’ Al-Bayan interpretation, vol. 4, pages 543 &544.
5. Al-Mizan interpretation, vol. 9, page 89.
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