saying: "This is the month of your Zakah; whoever has a debt upon him, let him pay it off, so that you may then dispense the Zakah of your wealth. And whoever does not have it, it will not be requested from him, until he brings it voluntarily." Ibrahim al-Nakha'i said: "I think he means the month of Ramadan."

Section: If a person becomes Muslim in the Abode of War (Dar al-Harb) and resides there for years [without paying] Zakah, or if the Khawarij seize a town and its people reside there for years not paying Zakah, and then the Imam defeats them, they shall pay [for the past years]. This is the school of Malik and al-Shafi'i. The اصحاب الرأي (People of Opinion) said: They are not obligated to pay Zakah for the past time in both cases. Our position is that Zakah is one of the pillars of Islam, and it is not waived from one who is outside the control of the Imam, just like prayer and fasting.

Section: If a man manages the distribution of his own Zakah, it is recommended that he begin with his relatives to whom it is permissible to give Zakah. For Zaynab asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Is it sufficient for me to spend my charity on my husband [and orphans in my care]?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "She has two rewards: the reward of charity and the reward of kinship." Recorded by [al-Bukhari and Ibn Majah]. In another wording: "Is it permissible for me to place my charity upon my husband and the sons of a brother of mine who are orphans?" He said: "Yes, she has"