Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (6/227)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

against them, or by sowing discord among them, and the like. He is therefore given in order to avert his harm; but if we are able to avert his harm by force, there is no need to give him anything.

Third: that by giving him, it is hoped that his faith will be strengthened. This applies where a man is weak in faith and lax regarding prayer, charitable giving, zakat, pilgrimage, fasting, and the like.

The reason is that if he may be given in order to preserve his body and sustain his life, then giving him in order to preserve his religion and give it life is all the more warranted.

The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that it is not a condition for him to be a leader whose clan obeys him. The established position of the madhhab, however, is that he must be a leader whose clan obeys him.

1 — This is because when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, gave to those whose hearts were to be reconciled, he gave only to the leading and prominent men of their clans and tribes; he did not give to ordinary people.

2 — Also, the disbelief or weakness of faith of an ordinary individual does not harm the Muslims, nor does his evil harm them, since it is possible for us to imprison him, beat him, or enforce the prescribed punishment upon him. This is unlike the leading and prominent figures, for such measures may be difficult to take against them. They are therefore given from zakat in order to reconcile their hearts.

This is evident in some of the cases mentioned by the author—namely, averting harm. For example, if the harm comes from an individual of no importance, who is neither obeyed nor a leader, then we do not need to give him anything from zakat.

As for strengthening faith and hoping for Islam, the view that someone who is not a leader obeyed by his clan may be given for these purposes is a strong one. The evidence for this is that the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, would give to those who had accepted Islam and from whose harm the Muslims were safe, so that their faith might increase, to the point that

عليهم أو إفساد ذات البين وما أشبه ذلك، فيعطى لكف شره، فإن استطعنا كف شره بالقوة فلا حاجة إلى إعطائه. الثالث: أن يرجى بعطيته قوة إيمانه بحيث يكون رجلاً ضعيف الإيمان عنده تهاون في الصلاة، وفي الصدقة، وفي الزكاة، وفي الحج، وفي الصيام، ونحو ذلك. والعلة أنه إذا كان يعطى لحفظ البدن وحياته، فإعطاؤه لحفظ الدين وحياته من باب أولى. وظاهر كلام المؤلف أنه لا يشترط أن يكون سيداً مطاعاً في عشيرته، والمذهب أنه يشترط أن يكون سيداً مطاعاً في عشيرته. ١ ـ لأن النبي ﷺ حينما أعطى المؤلفة قلوبهم إنما أعطى الكبراء والوجهاء في عشائرهم وقبائلهم ولم يعط عامة الناس. ٢ ـ ولأن الواحد من عامة الناس لا يضر المسلمين عدم إيمانه أو ضعف إيمانه، ولا يضر المسلمين شره؛ لأنه من الممكن أن نحبسه أو نضربه أو نقيم الحد عليه، بخلاف الكبراء والوجهاء فإنه قد يتعذر ذلك في حقهم، فيعطون من الزكاة لتأليف قلوبهم. وهذا ظاهر في بعض المسائل التي عدها المؤلف؛ وهي كف الشر، فمثلاً كف الشر إذا كان من واحد غير ذي أهمية وليس مطاعاً وليس سيداً فإننا لا نحتاج أن نعطيه من الزكاة. أما قوة الإيمان ورجاء الإسلام، فالقول بأنه يعطى من لم يكن سيداً مطاعاً في عشيرته لذلك، قول قوي ودليل ذلك أن الرسول ﷺ يعطي الذين أسلموا وأمن شرهم ليزداد إيمانهم، حتى