Explanation of the author's statement: "If he is unable to pay for some of them, he starts with himself, then his wife, then his slave, then his mother, then his father, then his children, then the closest in inheritance."
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The Shaykh : Then the author said, and this is the beginning of the new lesson, "And if he is unable to pay for some of them, he starts with himself", meaning some of those he is responsible for, based on the obligation of zakah upon him for those he is responsible for. As for the stronger opinion, this issue does not arise for us; it arises from another angle if he is unable to pay the sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg), and that will come later.
He said, "If he is unable to pay for some of them, he starts with himself, then his wife". He starts with himself because he is individually addressed regarding it, and because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then his wife, meaning his spouse, comes before his mother and father. This is because providing for her is a form of exchange, like a sale with a price and a priced item. As for providing for the parents, it is a form of voluntary charity. Therefore, the woman is more deserving by nature than the parents, the mother and the father. And according to what we have corrected, this issue does not arise. Then his slave, meaning if he has three sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg): one for himself, the second for his wife, and the third for his slave, taking precedence over his mother and father. Why? Because the maintenance of the slave is obligatory in both insolvency and solvency, whereas the maintenance of the parents is not obligatory except in solvency. So the slave is more deserving than the parents. And according to what we have preferred, we say the slave takes precedence over everyone because his nature (fitrah) is obligatory upon his master. But if he has only one sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg), does he give it to himself or to his slave?
The questioner : To himself.
The Shaykh : To himself, okay.
He said, "Then his mother". The fourth sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg) is for whom? For the mother before the father, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was asked, "Who among people is most deserving of my good companionship?" He said,. And in the fourth place, he said, . Accordingly, the mother is given precedence because of the obligation to prioritize her in dutifulness. "Then his father". The fifth sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg) is for the father. If he has children, does the father take precedence over them? Yes. For this reason, he said, "Then his children". His children means the males and females. If he has four children and he has only five sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg): one for himself, one for his wife, one for his slave, one for his mother, and one for his father—not six sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg)—and he has four children, who takes precedence? Yes?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Does no one take precedence? Meaning, does he give to others? Or does he draw lots?
The questioner : The youngest, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Okay, no. If they are equal, it is by drawing lots. And now, none of them have wealth, so if they are equal, it is by drawing lots. As for the stronger opinion, he is not obligated to give anything. It is a matter of voluntary charity: if he pays on their behalf, he is rewarded, and if he does not pay, nothing is required of him. "Then the closest, then the closest in inheritance". If they are equal, like two full brothers, with which one does he start? By drawing lots, because the cause of entitlement is equal, so it is by drawing lots. Okay. And if they differ in inheritance, like a full brother and a maternal brother, and he has only one sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg), yes. As for if we say it is according to maintenance, if we say it is according to maintenance, we say the maternal brother gets one-sixth and the full brother gets the rest, because if he died, he would inherit from him in that manner. And if his full brother died and the maternal brother was with him, likewise, the maternal brother would inherit one-sixth and the rest would go to the full brother. But the problem is that if we give the maternal brother one-sixth, it falls short of the obligatory zakah, and if we give that one five-sixths, it also falls short. So the better course in such a case is to draw lots between them, and whoever the lot falls to, he gives it to him. And this is also based on what? On the weaker opinion. As for the stronger opinion, this issue does not arise.
He said, "If he is unable to pay for some of them, he starts with himself, then his wife". He starts with himself because he is individually addressed regarding it, and because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
Start with yourself.
ابدأ بنفسكThe questioner : To himself.
The Shaykh : To himself, okay.
He said, "Then his mother". The fourth sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg) is for whom? For the mother before the father, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was asked, "Who among people is most deserving of my good companionship?" He said,
Your mother
أمكThe father
الأبThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Does no one take precedence? Meaning, does he give to others? Or does he draw lots?
The questioner : The youngest, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Okay, no. If they are equal, it is by drawing lots. And now, none of them have wealth, so if they are equal, it is by drawing lots. As for the stronger opinion, he is not obligated to give anything. It is a matter of voluntary charity: if he pays on their behalf, he is rewarded, and if he does not pay, nothing is required of him. "Then the closest, then the closest in inheritance". If they are equal, like two full brothers, with which one does he start? By drawing lots, because the cause of entitlement is equal, so it is by drawing lots. Okay. And if they differ in inheritance, like a full brother and a maternal brother, and he has only one sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg), yes. As for if we say it is according to maintenance, if we say it is according to maintenance, we say the maternal brother gets one-sixth and the full brother gets the rest, because if he died, he would inherit from him in that manner. And if his full brother died and the maternal brother was with him, likewise, the maternal brother would inherit one-sixth and the rest would go to the full brother. But the problem is that if we give the maternal brother one-sixth, it falls short of the obligatory zakah, and if we give that one five-sixths, it also falls short. So the better course in such a case is to draw lots between them, and whoever the lot falls to, he gives it to him. And this is also based on what? On the weaker opinion. As for the stronger opinion, this issue does not arise.