A Warning to Those Who Don’t Pay Khums
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Some people believe in the obligation of paying khums, but they procrastinate in doing so, or they convince themselves to pay a larger amount only after acquiring a substantial sum of money so they can fulfill the obligation at once and be considered among the foremost believers by virtue of their large payment.
The reason behind this procrastination or wishful thinking is quite clear; it stems from weak faith and a lack of belief that other religious duties will be rejected when khums is not paid. This applies to the validity of ablution or ritual bathing by virtue of the water used, the prayers because of the clothes being worn or the house in which they are performed, or the Hajj and Umrah due to the ihram. If khums is due on something and not paid, it is considered usurped, thus rendering worship performed with it void and unacceptable. On the Day of Judgment, a person will face an empty record of deeds, having wasted their acts of worship by neglecting the rights of Allah, the needy, orphans, and those deserving of assistance by not paying khums.
Even worse, they will be among those who incur a great curse and wrath. It has been reported from our Imam, the awaited Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance, that he said: “The curse of Allah, His angels, and all people will be upon those who unlawfully take even a single dirham from our wealth.”35
The first challenge faced by a believer determined to fulfill their religious obligations is the accursed Satan. Satan will exert every effort to divert the believer from performing this worship, which strengthens Islam and the believers. So, he begins by casting doubts and worries in the heart of the believer, coming to them through various avenues, especially emotional attachments like their family and children, whispering to them: “Why are you giving away your hard-earned money without compensation? Aren’t you concerned about providing for your children if your financial situation changes? What about yourself and your family if you fall ill and cannot afford expensive treatment?” The Qur’an warns against this and says to the believer: “Satan promises you poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.”36
He may even become more sophisticated and take it further by sending “human and jinn devils—inspiring one another with fancy words in order to deceive”37 thereby casting doubts into the mind of the believer. Perhaps he whispers and says: “Why do you pay one-fifth of your money, which you have collected by using your mind, with effort, and hard work, to someone who is not as knowledgeable or deserving as you?” As the Qur’an reminds, ‘He said, “I was only given it because of knowledge I have.'”38 However, those who read this verse forget its ending, where it warns against the temptation of wealth like that of Qarun, stating: “Does he not know that Allah had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked?”
Satan may also come in a different guise, whispering cunningly and creating a different type of doubt, saying to you: “Indeed, it is noble to consider others, and it is a mark of human perfection to be generous, and the qualities of generosity, giving, and obedience to Allah are signs of the believers, but why, O heedless believer, do you read the Qur’an and not comprehend it? Why do you give from your wealth and earnings to others when, if Allah willed, He could provide for them Himself? Haven’t you read His saying: “Shall we feed someone whom God could feed, if He so willed? You must be deeply misguided”39?”
Thus, Satan attempts to divert the believer from practicing this great financial worship with doubts that may ensnare some people. It is as if he says that Allah willed there to be some who are rich and some are meant to be poor, so why bother yourself with recalling them and feeling the need to help? Are you more compassionate than Allah towards His creation? So why then do you rush ahead of Allah in His attributes (i.e., generosity) and affairs, when He is Exalted, Majestic, and High above any partner?
Let this be a warning to anyone who wishes not to fulfill their religious obligations or even delays in fulfilling them. Who among us can guarantee themselves another minute of life, let alone another day? And who among us will find it easy to pay larger sums when it is difficult to pay small amounts? So, O believer, take action today before tomorrow by taking stock of your accounts, hold yourself accountable before you are held accountable, and set for yourself a religious deadline to fulfill your religious duties. Then you will see and realize how content of conscience and soul you are. And no one will have any right over you, not Allah [because you discharged your obligation], nor any needy person, nor any orphan.