"When Abu Bakr mobilized to fight them, 'Umar said: 'O Abu Bakr, how can you fight the people when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy or worship except Allah). Whoever says La ilaha illallah, his life and his property are safe from me, except for its right, and his reckoning will be with Allah?'" Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with me him, said: 'By Allah, I will surely fight those who separate prayer and Zakah, for Zakah is what is due on wealth. By Allah, if they withhold from me a small she-goat that they used to give to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) I will fight them for withholding it.' ('Umar said) 'By Allah, when I realized that Allah, the Most High, had opened the chest of Abu Bakr to fighting them, then I knew that it was the truth.'"
Narrated by It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:
Context
This hadith recounts a conversation between Abu Bakr and Umar regarding the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ command to fight until people profess the oneness of Allah. Abu Bakr expresses his determination to uphold Zakat, indicating that even minor obligations must be defended. The discussion highlights the significance of community obligations and the seriousness of maintaining religious practices.
Modern Application
In contemporary life, this principle underscores the importance of community support and the role of charity. Individuals are encouraged to contribute to their communities by fulfilling their obligations, such as paying Zakat, which helps support those in need and strengthens social bonds.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Community and Zakat because it emphasizes the collective responsibility of the community to uphold religious duties and the importance of Zakat as a means of supporting the less fortunate.
Have you not seen those who were told, "Restrain your hands [from fighting] and establish prayer and give zakah"? But then when fighting was ordained for them, at once a party of them feared men as they fear Allah or with [even] greater fear. They said, "Our Lord, why have You decreed upon us fighting? If only You had postponed [it for] us for a short time." Say, The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allah. And injustice will not be done to you, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed]."
And when a surah was revealed [enjoining them] to believe in Allah and to fight with His Messenger, those of wealth among them asked your permission [to stay back] and said, "Leave us to be with them who sit [at home]."
Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.
Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors.
They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, "Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-Haram and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allah. And fitnah is greater than killing." And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally.
This hadith is #3099 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Jihad. It is graded Sahih and narrated by It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:.