The Disbursement of the Fifth of Buried Treasure

The questioner:
The questioner says: In the hadith regarding the fifth of buried treasure (rikaz), he asks: Is this fifth here to be distributed to the eight categories, or to the people of the war spoils (fay'), given that there is a disagreement among the scholars? He asks: Is it obligatory to generalize the eight categories to those who hold that it is to be distributed to them? And is it obligatory to generalize the people of the fay' to those who hold that it is to be distributed to them?

The Shaykh:
There is a difference between zakah and the fifth of buried treasure. Zakah is for the eight categories that Allah mentioned in His saying: to the end of the verse. As for the fifth of buried treasure, this is for the public treasury (Bayt al-Mal). It is not among the expenditures of zakah; rather, it is for the public treasury for the interests of the Muslims. The one in authority takes it and places it in the public treasury and spends it on the interests of the Muslims. Yes.

The presenter:
The 'Asr prayer has ended.

The Shaykh:
And Allah the Exalted knows best, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. Iham.