What is the authenticity of the hadith (The collector of taxes will not enter Paradise), what is the tax (mukus), and do customs duties fall under the category of tax?

The questioner : First, regarding the authenticity of the hadith , and second, regarding the subject of the tax (mukus) as a whole, and the reference to the customs duties currently collected, which are considered taxes. The original concept of the tax (mukus) may not apply to the taxes currently collected from us.

The Shaykh : As for the hadith, its chain of narration is weak. However, there is condemnation of the tax collector (makas) that suffices for us in place of the weak hadith. Do you remember with me the hadith of the woman from the Banu Ghambid who committed unlawful sexual intercourse, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stoned her to death? Perhaps some people spoke ill of her, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: as in one narration, and in another narration: So in this hadith, there is condemnation of the tax collector. Of course, the tax (mukus) is the levy, and taxes (makas) are levies. It is not prescribed in Islam, when Islam is applied as a system that is firmly established, not merely a name not accompanied by action, for Muslims to find in their Shari'ah what suffices them from their taxes and levies. But, with great regret, it is true regarding most of the rulers of the Muslims, and I do not limit the mention to the rulers only, but include the ruled as well, that they have turned away from judging by what Allah has prescribed. And were it not for that, in the Shari'ah of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) there would be what suffices them from what is known today as Western systems and laws. A few days ago, we were in a gathering, and the occasion arose to speak about religious innovation (bid'ah), which, as you all know, if Allah wills, is all misguidance by the explicit text of the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So our research in it led to drawing attention to the fact that there are specific principles for religious innovation (bid'ah) that every student of knowledge must know, just as he must know the principles of jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh). And not combining these two sets of principles, the principles of jurisprudence and the principles of religious innovation, causes the first jurist to be exposed to error, if not danger. And likewise the reverse: the one who is knowledgeable about the principles of religious innovation but not knowledgeable about the principles of jurisprudence is also like the first, falling into error, if not danger. And that research was long, and I do not want to occupy this session by repeating that research.