A Jurisprudential Study on Compelling People to Pay Zakat in an Islamic Government from the Perspective of Imam Khomeini

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Arabic Language, Language Center, Imam Sadiq (pbuh) University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Jurisprudence, Imam Khomeini Research Institute, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Zakat aims to establish justice in society and holds great importance to the extent that sending prophets and revealing books was solely for this purpose. The Holy Quran has emphasized zakat significantly, often mentioning it alongside prayer. The main problem is that if individual zakat payments continue to be made to various jurists or beneficiaries as was customary before the establishment of an Islamic government, it leads to fragmentation and parallel zakat contributions that do not adequately serve to alleviate poverty or achieve justice. This article examines the clear implications in the context of verses concerning the obligation of zakat by studying library sources using a descriptive analysis approach. Based on some mentioned categories for zakat expenditure in these verses, it argues that it is only reasonable for zakat to be managed under an Islamic government. The practice established by the Prophet and the infallible Imams (peace be upon them) involved compelling people to pay zakat through sending tax collectors or agents to various regions for collection; thus, zakat is essentially a budget controlled by the ruler. Imam Khomeini argued that a jurist has greater insight than others regarding the allocation of zakat resources, making it preferable for zakat to be directed to him during the period of occultation. If a jurist governs an Islamic state, zakat should not be sent elsewhere due to his comprehensive understanding compared to other jurists. Therefore, zakat has governmental significance, and an Islamic government can compel its citizens to pay zakat.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Article Title [العربیة]

دراسة فقهية حول إلزام الناس بالزكاة في الحکومة الاسلامیة من وجهة نظر الإمام الخميني

Authors [العربیة]

  • حميد رضا دهقان نيري 1
  • عباسعلي روحاني 2
1 قسم اللغة العربية، مركز اللغات، جامعة الإمام الصادق(ع)، طهران، ايران
2 معهد البحوث للإمام الخميني،طهران، ايران.
Abstract [العربیة]

تهدف الزكاة إلى إقامة القسط في المجمتع ولها أهمیة کبیرة لدرجة أن إرسال الرسل وإنزال الكتب لم يكن إلا من أجل ذلك. واهتم بها القرآن الكريم وجاء أكثر ماجاء عنها في القرآن الكريم قرینا مع الصلاة. المشكلة الرئيسة أنه إذا استمرت الدفعات الفردية للزکاة إلى مختلف الفقهاء أو المستحقين كما كان الأمر دارجا قبل الحكومة الإسلامية، فيؤدي إلى تبعثر وتوازي زكوات الناس فلا تخدم رفع الفقر ولا تحقيق العدالة بشكل لائق. یتناول هذا المقال من خلال دراسة مصادر المكتبة وبمنهج التحليل الوصفي دراسة سبب الدلالات البینة في السياق الأمري لآيات وجوب الزكاة وبناء علی بعض مصارف الزكاة المذکورة فیها فیدعي أنه لايعقل كونها إلا في ظل الحكومة الإسلامية وبما جرت سيرة النبي والأئمة المعصومين عليهم السلام على إلزام الناس بالزكاة من خلال إرسال جباة الزكاة أو الوكلاء إلى مختلف المناطق لجباية الزكوات فإن الزكاة ميزانية بيد الحاكم فحسب. وذهب الإمام الخميني إلى أن الفقيه أبصر من غيره في صرف موارد الزكاة والأفضل حملها إلیه في عصر الغبية أما إذا ترأس الحكومةَ الإسلاميةَ الفقيهُ الحاكم فلا ينبغي حمل الزكاة إلى غيره بسبب جامعيته وأبصريته من غيره من بین الفقهاء. إذن الزكاة لها شأن حكومي والحكومة بوصفها إسلامية يمكن أن تلزم أفراد شعبها بدفع الزكاة.

Keywords [العربیة]

  • الزكاة
  • الإمام الخميني
  • الإلزام
  • الحكومة الإسلامية

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Interdisciplinary Studies of Quran & Hadith
Volume 1, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
April 2024
Pages 475-498

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History

  • Receive Date: 25 January 2024
  • Revise Date: 23 February 2024
  • Accept Date: 16 April 2024

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