"Charity is not permissible for a wealthy person, nor for a physically capable earner." Narrated by Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhi (3), who said: It is a hasan (good) hadith. This is because the wealthy person taking from it prevents it from reaching those who are entitled to it and contradicts the wisdom of its obligation, which is to enrich the poor through it. Scholars have disagreed regarding the wealth that prevents one from taking it. Two narrations have been transmitted from Ahmad regarding this. The most prominent of them is that it is the possession of fifty dirhams, or its equivalent in gold, or the possession of that which provides sufficiency on a permanent basis; whether from earnings (4), trade, [or real estate income] (5), or similar things. Even if one possesses goods, grains, livestock, or real estate that does not provide sufficiency, one is not considered wealthy, even if it reaches the amount of a nisab. This is the apparent view of his school, and it is the opinion of Al-Thawri, Al-Nakha'i, Ibn al-Mubarak, and Ishaq. It was narrated from Ali and Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud) that they said: "Charity is not permissible for someone who possesses fifty dirhams, or their equivalent, or their value in gold" (6). This is due to what Abdullah ibn Mas'ud narrated, saying: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever begs while having what enriches him, his request will come on the Day of Resurrection as clawing, scratching, or scarring (7) on his face." It was said: O Messenger of Allah, what is wealth? He said: "Fifty dirhams, or their equivalent in gold." Narrated by
= 1/379. Al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter: The request of a physically capable earner, from the Book of Zakat. Al-Mujtaba 5/75. Al-Daraqutni, in: The Chapter: Charity is not permissible for a wealthy person nor for a physically capable earner, from the Book of Zakat. Sunan al-Daraqutni 2/119. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 4/224, 5/362. (3) Narrated by Abu Dawud, in the previous chapter and previous location. And Al-Tirmidhi, in: The Chapter: For whom charity is not permissible, from the Chapters of Zakat. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 3/151. It was also narrated by Al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter: If he has no dirhams but has their equivalent, from the Book of Zakat. Al-Mujtaba 5/74. And Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter: Whoever begs while having sufficiency, from the Book of Zakat. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/589. And Al-Darimi, in: The Chapter: For whom charity is permissible, from the Book of Zakat. Sunan al-Darimi 1/386. And Al-Daraqutni, in the previous chapter. Sunan al-Daraqutni 2/118. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 2/164, 192, 377, 389, 4/62, 5/375. (4) In the original: "makasib" (earnings). (5) In B and M: "or real estate". (6) Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah, in: The Chapter: Whoever said it is not permissible for him if he owns fifty dirhams, from the Book of Zakat. Al-Musannaf 3/108. (7) Al-khumush, al-khudush, and al-kuduh are near-synonymous terms, meaning scratching the face with a fingernail, an iron tool, or similar objects.
