What Is Meant by the “Imam Portion” and “Sayyid Portion” of Khums?

Based on the Qur’anic text and authentic hadith, khums is divided into two well-established parts. The first is called “sahm al-Imam” or the share of the Imam, and the other is called “Sahm al-Sadah” or the share of the sayyids (i.e., those who are descendants of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp)). Sometimes, these terms raise questions about their meaning and purpose. An introduction is necessary before delving into an answer.

The Qur’anic verse that mentions khums is Chapter 8, Verse 41, which states: “Know that whatever you may gain – then, indeed, a fifth of it is for Allah, for His Messenger, and for the Prophet’s relatives; orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveler, if you have faith in Allah and what We sent down to Our servant on the Day of Separation, the day when the two armies met; and Allah, over all things, is competent.” This noble verse specifies six shares related to khums. The first three of them are the right of Allah Almighty, the right of the Messenger, and the right of the near relatives, who are the successors of the Prophet and the infallible Imams. This is what is derived by the jurists from the phrase “then indeed, for Allah is one-fifth of it and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives.” The matters pertaining to worldly possessions that are directly under the purview of Allah are administered by His representative on Earth, who is the Messenger. He manages this share, as well as the share designated to him, and likewise the share allocated for his near relatives (notice the repetition of the letter “Lam” for each of them, indicating specificity and emphasis in the Arabic language). Indeed, the jurists have relied on numerous Qur’anic indications and explicit hadith texts to conclude that the intended meaning of “those near relatives” is specifically the Prophet’s legitimate successors, the twelve infallible Imams, and no one else. This is evidenced by the fact that this wealth is not for personal ownership but for the position of religious leadership and legitimate authority. Moreover, the term “near relatives” linguistically does not apply to everyone who is related to the Prophet, especially considering that some of the Prophet’s relatives were disbelievers or sinful. Therefore, they cannot be included among those who deserve a share of the khums in the first place.

Based on this and considering that the Imam of the Age is in occultation and believers have referred to his deputies among the pious and righteous scholars in matters of their religion, these shares now fall into their hands. These three shares are commonly referred to in jurisprudential terms as “the share of the Imam,” may Allah hasten his reappearance.

The Qur’anic verse continues to describe the three remaining shares: “and for the orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer” [Qur’an 8:41]. Jurists have stated that these three categories are exclusively for the orphans, the needy, and the wayfarers from the descendants of Banu Hashim. This is indicated by the conjunction “and” (وَ) preceding the last share of the first category. Thus, “and those near of kin” (وَلِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ) implies exclusivity. Otherwise, if it were for all orphans, needy individuals, and wayfarers, the phrasing would have been “and for the orphans, and for the needy, and for the wayfarer.”

Based on this, the jurisprudential books and the fatwas of jurists have emphasized the necessity of dividing the fifth into two parts: the first is referred to as “the Imam’s share,” and the second as “the share of the descendants of the Prophet,” meaning the poor from the descendants of Banu Hashim.