the Hanbalis. (1) He was one of the students of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and among the most knowledgeable people regarding Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s jurisprudence. Indeed, Ibn al-Qayyim would refer back to him, asking him what the Shaykh held regarding juristic issues.

The basis of this view is that there is nothing in the Quran or the sunnah (2) indicating that this is obligatory. The basic principle is that one is free of liability until evidence establishes obligation. According to this view, there is no need to determine a nisab for honey.

The well-known position of the school, however, is that it is obligatory. They hold that its nisab is 160 Iraqi ratls, which is approximately 62 kilograms according to modern weight standards. Thus, if one collects this amount, one-tenth of it becomes due, based on what has been reported from Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and because it resembles fruit irrigated without expense: it involves no labour other than collecting and harvesting it. Likewise, fruit irrigated without expense entails no cost other than its gathering. Accordingly, one-tenth is due on it and is to be distributed among the lawful recipients of zakah.

It has also been said that the nisab is 600 Iraqi ratls.

In al-Mughni, he said: “It is possible that its nisab is 1,000 Iraqi ratls,” because no sunnah concerning it has been transmitted from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Thus, the scholars differed over the amount of the nisab upon which zakah becomes obligatory.

Paying it out is, in any case, not devoid of good, for if it is obligatory, then he has