Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

dear brother in Islam,

Your sabaks are very informative and very good to read.

Your write up on "KHUMS" was quite good. How ever, the interpretation of KHUMS is quite different. Khums is paid not only on war booty but also on any profits or gains from any source.

For example, when Hazarat Abdul Mutalib rediscovered the well of Zamzam, he found in it many valuable things.He gave away 1/5th. (literally khums) in the way of Allah. Then it became a custom in thier family and after the Hijra,. Holy Preophet (SAWA) in accordance with the order from Allah, incorporated in Islam With the guidance from our Imams who are the true interpreters of Holy Quran, SHIA (Bohras;Isthansries, )are still follow system of Khums I'll forward the details of KHUMS shortly for your ionformation.

Keep up the good work, wasalaam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our brother for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Shias are still following the system of Khums?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran, Chapter 8 Surah Anfaal (and Anfaal by the way means war-booty itself!) aayat 41: And know whatever spoils of war you have got, khums (a fifth of these) is for Allah and His Messenger, and for the relatives and the orphans, and the needy and the wayfarers.

I just want to re-emphasise here that Khums is mentioned only once in the Holy Quran and is mentioned clearly in regard with the anfaal or war-booty. The interpretation that khums is to be paid on any profits and gains are not from the Quran or the traditions of the Prophet (saws).

Regarding the story of Hadrat Abdul Muttalib, please note that this story is not authentic and not documented in any authentic history books. Besides we must realize that the deen of Islam was revealed to Mohamed bin Abdulla, the Messenger of Allah (saws), and not Abdul Muttalib. Our source of learning in Islam should always be from the guidance received from the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Prophet (saws) and from no other personality, either before or after the Prophet (saws).

Khums is not a custom of the pagans before Prophet Mohamed (saws), but rather a direct commandment of Allah from the Holy Quran in Surah Anfaal (the Surah about war-booty revealed immediately after the Battle of Badr in Medina). To say that we follow the way or customs of the pagans or of jahileeya before the advent of Islam, in contrast to following the direct commandment of Allah is following ignorance instead of guidance. Please also note that Khums was not collected as a tax from the muslims, but it was rather a 20% right of retention by Allah and His Messenger (saws) of the war booty. The balance 80% of the war-booty, which the muslims got after winning any battle with the enemies, was distributed evenly between the soldiers who fought in the battle.

To collect khums or 20% from the muslims today is a scam to collect more money from the muslims by the heirarchy and nothing else. It has absolutely no basis in Islam, the Holy Quran or the traditions of the Prophet (saws), NONE!!! And if anybody pays Khums with the intention that Allah will be pleased with him on the Day of Judgement, is going to be mightily dissappointed, as this money is not going anywhere close to the pleasure of Allah.

Please also note that only the Messengers of Allah are appointed by Allah, and they are the only beings who come to mankind and proclaim that they are Messengers of Allah. The Imams, Dais, Bhaisahebs, Aamils, Shaikhs, etc. are all people chosen by man himself and have absolutely no authority from Allah. You show me one aayah in the Glorious Quran which states that the Imams are the only ones who have the right to interpret the Quran! If this is the cornerstone of our belief, then it must be in the Holy Quran! There is none available!! These kinds of statements are made to confuse people, for Allah Himself says in the Holy Quran that the Quran is easy to understand.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 44 Surah Dukhan verse 58: We have made this Book (Al Quran) easy in your own tongue so that they may ponder and take good counsel.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 43 Surah Zukhruf verses 1-3: Haa Meem. By this lucid (clear or open) Book. We have made it an Arabic Quran, so that you may understand it.

So, whose words are we going to take, Allah’s or some unscrupulous leaders in the name of Islam?

May Allah guide us all to read and understand the Glorious Quran. May Allah guide us all to the Straight Path of Islam.

May Allah guide you and us all to the Siraat al-Mustaqeem.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan