Section

His words:

“No aged animal, defective animal, or male goat is to be taken as zakat.”

This is the position of the jurists of the major centres, because what is taken as zakat should be of fair quality. As Umar—may Allah be pleased with him—said: “A fair specimen from the livestock of fair and choice quality.”

“Aged” means a sheep or goat advanced in years. With the pronunciation ʿawār, the phrase refers to an animal with a defect; with the pronunciation ʿuwār, it refers to one that has lost an eye. Such animals do not suffice for zakat. The sheep or goat taken as zakat on camels must be of the requisite age: a jadhaʿa in the case of sheep and a thaniyya in the case of goats. If its monetary value is paid instead, there are two opinions.

His words:

“Separate herds must not be combined, nor combined herds separated, for fear of zakat.”

This means separating or combining livestock for fear of zakat. There is disagreement over whether this addresses the owners, the zakat collector, or both. This concerns combined herds: their owners may owe a certain number of sheep or goats, but separating the herds would reduce the number due. Alternatively, a certain number may be due on separate herds, but combining them would reduce it. They were therefore forbidden to do this.

There are various examples of this: three people may each own forty sheep or goats, so that three animals are due altogether; if their herds are combined, only one becomes due. Or two men may own two hundred sheep or goats