Jurisprudence

Adopted from the Book : "Khums; An Islamic Tax" by : Sayyid Mohammad Rizvi

Another issue is that of pride, or I should say arrogance, in giving khums. There are some who give khums on a regular basis ( may Allah increase their numbers ), but have also become victim of `ujb. `Ujb means a sense of selfrighteousness in which one looks down upon others. Such people think that they are the only ones who pay khums!

This happens because of ignorance about others. `Ujb does not harm anyone but its own victim. Such a person will suffer from a wrong sense of pride and will lose the most important means of spiritual de­velopment known as self-criticism.

One should be aware that every country or group of people goes through financial ups and downs. If, today, you are financially on a good footing and give khums, while others are on the receiving end—this does not mean that those who receive khums have been the same during all times in their history! The best case in our time is India : After the British colonization of that country, in particular after its 'independence, the Muslims of India have gone through a very difficult financial crisis. The Shi`ahs have suffered even more. Their present plight should not be taken as a sign that they have always been at the receiving end of charity. There was a time not long ago when the Shi'ahs of India (especially during the Shi`ite Oudh ultanate in North India) were the main financial supporters of the centers of learning in Iraq.1 The Shi` ahs in the Oudh and even in the southern sultanates of preBritish India had contrib­uted greatly to the growth of their faith and commu­nity in that part of the Muslim world.

Train yourself to give khums, zakät and charity 'without injuring the feelings of the recipients. Allah .says, "0 you who believe! Do not nullify your charity by reproach and injury ( to the recipient ), like the person who spends his wealth to show it to the people ..." (2:264)