The Jurisprudential Ruling of Abstaining from Paying Zakat According to Narrations and the Qur'anic Verses

Paying one's income zakat is one of obligatory duties to which many Qur'anic verses have referred. In the Prophet's and the Imams' times, abstaining from paying zakat has been considered despicable and some ta'zir punishments have been inflicted for such a crime. Referring the traditions and Qur'anic verses, the Jurisprudents have also reprehended those who abstain from paying zakat and the majority of them have issued ta'zir punishments rulings for zakat paying abstainers. However, the jurisprudents have given some ta'zir punishments rulings for those who abstain from paying zakat referring to verses and traditions. Deploying a descriptive-analytical research method, the present research is to analyze the concepts and to review the related literature about the rulings and its related punishments for the abstainers of zakat payment. The researchers attempt to know that what ta'zir punishments have been inflicted for zakat paying abstainers according to traditions and verses of the Qur'an. Likewise, it is of paramount significance for the researchers to know how to apply and modernize these traditions and verses for zakat paying abstainers. The findings of this research reveal that the majority of jurisprudents believe in the ta'zir punishments of zakat paying abstainers. Although the related ta'zir punishments is specified in jurisprudence for such a crime, it seems that abstaining from paying zakat is not punishable according to traditions and the Qur'anic verses and is not regarded as a crime in civil law; therefore, no punishment is mentioned in the civil law for that.