Section
If someone asks for zakat and the imam already knows whether the applicant is entitled or not, he acts on that knowledge. Otherwise, when the claimant merely says he is poor or needy, no proof is demanded of him. If, however, he is known to have possessed property and now alleges that it has been lost, he must produce evidence—and, according to the sound view, the same applies if he claims to have dependants. A combatant in the path of Allah and a wayfarer are given on the basis of their own word; if they never actually set out, the payment is taken back. An agent, a contractual slave, and a debtor must furnish proof, namely the testimony of two upright witnesses, although well-known public report suffices, as does—on the sound view—the attestation of the creditor or the master. The destitute and the needy receive what will meet their needs for one full year.

I say: The sound, transmitted position, and the opinion of the majority, is that they are given enough for their normal lifetime; with it they buy real estate whose yield supports them, and Allah knows best. The contractual slave and the debtor are given an amount equal to their debt; the wayfarer, what will carry him to his destination or to the place where his property is; the combatant, what he needs for provisions and clothing for the outward and return journeys, the going price there, together with a horse and weapons—all of which become his property. He and the wayfarer are also supplied with a mount if the journey is long or if the traveller is too weak to walk, and with an animal to carry food and baggage, unless it is customary for someone like him to carry so small a load himself. One who combines two separate grounds of entitlement is, on the more apparent view, given zakat under only one of them.

Section
When the imam distributes the zakat and an agent is present, he must allocate a share to every one of the eight categories; if not, the distribution is among seven. Should any category be absent, what is available is divided among those that remain. When the imam undertakes the division, he must cover every individual in each category from the zakat funds under his control. The same holds for the owner if the eligible recipients in the locality are limited in number and the zakat suffices for them; otherwise, he must