Issue: Is sanity and reaching puberty a condition for the obligation of zakah?

The Shaykh : Now, regarding these conditions, the apparent meaning of the author's statement is that reaching puberty and sanity are not required; that is, reaching puberty and sanity are not conditions for the obligation of zakah. Accordingly, zakah is obligatory in the wealth of a young child and in the wealth of a person of unsound mind. There is a difference of opinion among the scholars on this issue, and the point of disagreement is this: The one who classifies it as a pure act of worship says that a young child and a person of unsound mind are not among those who perform acts of worship, such as prayer. So if prayer is not obligatory on a person of unsound mind or a young child, then zakah is even less so. The one who classifies zakah as a right of wealth, meaning that it is obligatory in the wealth for the sake of the recipients of zakah, says that reaching puberty and sanity are not required, because this is a ruling that is established upon the presence of its condition, which is reaching the nisab. So if it is present, zakah becomes obligatory, and being of legal age is not required in that. Thus, it is obligatory in the wealth of a young child and in the wealth of a person of unsound mind.
And this opinion is more correct, that zakah is among the rights of wealth. The evidence for that is the statement of Allah the Exalted: So the focus is on the wealth, not on the owner of the wealth. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said when he sent Mu'adh to Yemen: So he made the wealth the place of zakah. Based on that, being of legal age, meaning being an adult and sane, is not required. Thus, it is obligatory in the wealth of a young child and a person of unsound mind. We can also provide a reason for this, because zakah is a right for a human being, so the one who is of legal age and the one who is not are equal in the obligation of its performance. Just as if a young child destroys the wealth of a person, we oblige him to compensate for it, even though he is not of legal age.
And this opinion is the madhhab of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him). Abu Hanifah differed on this and said that there is no zakah in the wealth of a young child or a person of unsound mind. Yes.
So if someone says, "If we make zakah obligatory in the wealth of a young child and a person of unsound mind, this leads to its diminishment, and Allah the Exalted said: " The answer is to say that this diminishment is, in reality, perfection and increase, because zakah purifies and grows the wealth. So even though it is a diminishment in a sensory sense, it is perfection and increase in meaning. And...