Is Zakat for ‘Those Whose Hearts Are Attracted (to the Faith)’ Still Applicable?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

Has the ruling on “those whose hearts are attracted (to the faith)” (al-mu’allafatu qulubuhum) been abrogated?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

The category of “those whose hearts are to be reconciled” (al-mu’allafatu qulubuhum) refers to individuals who, at the onset of Islam, accepted the faith but had weak intentions towards it. The aim was to soften their hearts towards Islam, affirm their commitment to it, prevent their harm to Muslims, support them against their enemies, or by giving them a portion of charity, encourage their peers to embrace Islam.

“Those whose hearts are attracted (to the faith)” constitute one of the eight categories of zakat recipients mentioned in the divine statement of Allah (Most High):

“Alms-tax is only for the poor and the needy, for those employed to administer it, for those whose hearts are attracted (to the faith), for (freeing) slaves, for those in debt, for Allah’s cause, and for (needy) travelers. (This is) an obligation from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” [Quran, 9:60]

They are divided into two types: Muslims and non-Muslims. [al-Mawsu‘a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaytiyya]

Non-Muslims

Non-Muslims, in this category, can be further divided into two groups: those whose good is hoped for and those whose harm is feared. It is established that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) gave to some non-Muslims to win their hearts and encourage them to accept Islam. Rafi‘ Ibn Khadij reported:

“The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) gave Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb, Safwan Ibn Umayya, ‘Uyayna Ibn Hisn, and Aqra‘ Ibn Habis each one hundred camels. He gave less to ‘Abbas Ibn Mirdas…” [Muslim]

Muslims

Among the Muslims, there are various subcategories of those whose hearts are to be reconciled:

• Those with weak faith: They are given charity to strengthen their faith in Islam.
• Honorable Muslims in their tribes: Those whose acceptance of charity is expected to lead their peers to embrace Islam. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) gave to Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb and others, as well as to Zibraqan Ibn Badr and ‘Adi Ibn Hatim due to their respected status among their people.
• Residents in frontier areas: Those living near enemy territories who protect the Muslim borders from the enemy’s attacks.
• Collecting agents: Those who collect zakat from their people where it is difficult to send official collectors, even if they do not refuse to pay it.

It is confirmed that Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) gave to ‘Adi Ibn Hatim when he came to him with his and his people’s zakat during the time of apostasy. [Zuhayli, al-Tafsir al-Munir]

Has this Ruling Been Abrogated?

There are two opinions among scholars on whether the allocation for “those whose hearts are attracted (to the faith)” still exists or has been abrogated:

Hanafis and Malikis: They say that the allocation for “those whose hearts are attracted (to the faith)” has been dropped due to the spread and strength of Islam. Therefore, the categories of zakat recipients are now seven instead of eight, as the reason for this category no longer exists. Malik stated that there is no need for this category now due to the strength of Islam. [Ibid.]

Majority of Scholars: Including the prominent Maliki scholar Khalil, they say that the ruling on “those whose hearts are attracted (to the faith)” remains and has not been abrogated. They should be given from zakat when there is a need. The fact that ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali did not give to them during their caliphates is because there was no need to do so at that time, not because the category was abrogated. The verse mentioning them is among the last revealed in the Quran. The purpose of giving to them is to attract them to Islam and save them from Hellfire, not merely to assist them, and thus the ruling persists despite the spread of Islam. [Ibid.]

What If They Are Non-Muslims?

Scholars differ on giving zakat to them if they are non-Muslims. Hanbalis and Malikis say they should be given to encourage them towards Islam, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) gave to both Muslims and polytheists.

Hanafis and Shafi‘is argue that non-Muslims should not be given zakat for any reason, as the practice of giving to non-Muslims was specific to the early days of Islam when Muslims were fewer, and their enemies were numerous. Islam has since been honored and strengthened by Muslims, making such giving unnecessary. They note that the rightly-guided caliphs did not give to non-Muslims after the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) said:

“We do not give anything on account of Islam, so let those who wish to believe do so, and those who wish to disbelieve do so.” [Zuhayli, al-Tafsir al-Munir, al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu]

May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa

Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.

He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.

He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.

Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.