This is the right of Muslims taken from the people of Zimmah (Zimmis) and their trading goods, and from the people of the land of war (Dar ul-Harb) who are crossing through the frontiers of the Khilafah State. The one who is in charge of collecting it is known as Al- ‘Ashir.
The Maks is taken despite the fact that there are many Ahadith which censure taxes (The maks) and are harsh against its collector, such as what was narrated by Uqba b. Amir that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying: “The tax-collector will not enter Paradise.” Such tax is the funds taken from merchants when they cross the State frontiers. It was also narrated by Kareez b. Sulaiman, who said: “‘Umar b. Abdul Aziz wrote to Abdullah b. Awf al-Qari that he should travel to the house known as the house of tax in Rafah and demolish it, then carry it to the sea and scatter it. He also wrote to Ady b. Arta’a to waive ransom, food and taxes from the people for they are not taxes but reduction (of the people’s properties) about which Allah (swt) said:
“Do not withhold from the people the things that are their due nor commit evil in the land” [Hud: 85]
So whoever comes to you with charity accept it from him, and he who doesn’t come to you then Allah (swt) will account him.
All these Ahadith and reports censure the Maks, and are severe and harsh against its collector which indicates the illegality of collecting it.
There also came other reports that clarify that the tithe (Ushr) is not taken from Muslims or the trading goods of the Zimmis when they carry them across the frontiers, but only from businessmen of the traders of Dar ul-Harb such as what was narrated by AbdurRahman bin Ma’qil who said “I asked Ziyad bin Hudayr ‘from whom did you collect Ushr?’ He said: ‘We did not take ushr from Muslims or a Mu’ahid (under covenant).’ I said: “From whom then did you take Ushr?” He said: ‘The merchants of harb just as they used to tax us when we reached their lands.” And Amru bin Dinar narrated: ‘Muslim bin Misbah informed me that he asked ibn ‘Umar: ‘Do you know if ‘Umar took Ushr from Muslims?’ He said: ‘No, I do not know that.’ These reports clarify that Ushr was not taken from Muslims or Zimmis but only from Harbis as a reciprocal measure.
However, there are other reports which indicate that ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab and the Khulafa’a after him, Uthman, Ali and ‘Umar bin Abdul Aziz, used to take Ushr from merchandise crossing the State frontiers. They used to take quarter-tithe (2.5%) from Muslim merchants, half-tithe (5%) from Zimmis and the tithe (10%) from Harbi merchants. A report from Ziyad bin Hudayr states: “‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab appointed me over the tithe and commanded me to take quarter-tithe from Muslim merchants.” And in another report he said: “Umar ibn Al-Khattab commanded me to take the tithe from the Christians of Bani Taghlib and half-tithe from the Christians of Ahl ul-Kitab (people of the Book).” In the previous mentioned narration of Abdur Rahman bin Ma’qil from Ziyad bin Hudayr, he said that he used to take tithe from Harbi merchants. From As-Saib bin Yazid, he said: “I was appointed over the market of Madinah in the time of ‘Umar. He said: ‘We used to take the tithe from the Nabateans.’” Abdullah bin ‘Umar narrated: “‘Umar used to take half-tithe from oil and wheat so as to increase their load into Madinah (in order to encourage the Nabateans to bring oil and wheat to Madinah) and he took tithe from vegetables.” Zareeq bin Hayyan al-Damashqi who was responsible about the passage of Egypt narrated that ‘Umar bin Abdul Aziz wrote to him: ‘Take one Dinar out of every twenty from whoever passes from the Zimmis from the trading goods of their wealth which they circulate. Use this calculation for whatever is less (than 20 Dinars) until it reaches ten Dinars, and don’t take anything when it decreases by a third of a Dinar.’
The reports are explicit that ‘Umar and the Khulafa’a after him, used to take quarter-tithe from the merchandise of Muslim merchants crossing the frontier, half-tithe from Zhimmi merchants and the tithe from Harbi merchants. This was witnessed by the Sahabah with their consent, confirming their Ijma’a on the permissibility of taking it. Also ‘Umar bin Abdul Aziz, who commanded Ady bin Arta’a to stop taking taxes from the people and Abdullah bin Awf al-Qari to destroy the house of tax in Rafah, commanded his governor in Egypt, Zareeq bin Hayyan al-Damashqi to take half-tithe from the Zimmis; In addition Ziyad bin Hudayr narrated: “We did not take Ushr from Muslims or Mu’ahids (people under covenant)” Other narrations state: “‘Umar commanded him to take quarter-tithe from Muslims and halftithe from Zimmis.” These Ahadith and reports appear to contradict the previous Ahadith which censure the Maks with harshness and severity against its collector, and also those which say that ‘Umar and Ziyad did not tax Muslims or Zimmis.
Close scrutiny of all these Ahadith and reports on this issue shows that there is no contradiction between them whatsoever. The Mak which is censured with harshness against the collector refer only to money taken without right (i.e. illegitimately) from Muslims such as taking the tithe from them or taking more than a quarter-tithe from their merchants crossing the frontier. Ushur are not obliged upon the Muslims, nor is anything imposed upon their trading merchandise except Zakat, which is a quarter-tithe (2.5%). This is neither a Maks nor a tithe (Ushr). This clarifies the meaning of the Ahadith of ibn ‘Umar and Ziyad bin Hudayr in saying that ‘Umar did not take the tithe; instead he took Zakat from them and its amount was quarter-tithe not the tithe (2.5%).
As for Zimmis, the tithe was not taken from them, the amount taken was only half-tithe. The half-tithe taken from them was a condition of the peace agreements (Sulh) contracted with them at the time of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab when Iraq, Ash-Sham and Egypt were conquered. Thus, the Maks which is prohibited and its collector harshly rebuked is that which is taken illegitimately from Muslims, Zimmis or Harbis, irrespective of whether more than the stipulated amount is taken or is greater than that taken from Muslim merchants when they visit their lands.
Some reports remove this apparent contradiction. Abu Ubaid, in the book of al-Amwal, cited a Marfu’ Hadith when he mentioned the taxman (Al- ’Ashir) which stated: “He is the one who takes the Sadaqah illegitimately.” Abu Ubaid translated this and said: “If he takes more than the original Zakat then he has taken it illegitimately.” Then he continued to say: “Similarly what is understood from the Hadith of ibn ‘Umar when he was asked: ‘Do you know if ‘Umar took Ushr from Muslims?’ He said: ‘No, I do not know of this.’ We consider that he means taking more than the original Zakat but did not mean the Zakat, for how could ibn ‘Umar deny this? ‘Umar and other Khulafa’a took it when they distributed the grants and it was ibn ‘Umar’s opinion to give it to them.” He then said: “Similar is the Hadith of Ziyad bin Hudayr when he said: ‘We did not take Ushr from a Muslim or Mu’ahid.’ What he meant was that we used to take quarter-tithe from Muslims and halftithe from Zimmis as mentioned explicitly in other reports narrated by him.” Abu Ubaid mentioned that collecting from Zimmis was ambiguous to him as they were not Muslims from whom Sadaqah is taken nor Harbis such that it is taken from them as they take from Muslims. He went on to say: “Until I contemplated the Hadith and found that ‘Umar contracted peace with them upon this, apart from Jizya on their heads and Kharaj on the land.” This is similar to what came in the narration of Qatada from Abu Majliz when ‘Umar sent Uthman bin Haneef to Iraq in a long Hadith: “And he imposed on the money of the Zimmis in which they trade with, one dirham in every twenty and Jizya on their heads.” He continued: “I deem the collecting from their merchants is in the origin of the peace treaty so it is a right today for the Muslims.” Similarly Malik bin Anas used to say: “They were covenanted to settle in their lands, so every time they cross it for trade they should be taxed.” Thus it becomes clear that there is no contradiction and the tax (Maks) that is censured is the collection of property illegitimately.
A quarter-tithe is taken from the merchandise of Muslim merchants crossing the State frontier as Zakat, as Zakat on trade merchandise is the same as Zakat on currency, for merchandise is evaluated by it. The obligatory Zakat on currency is quarter-tithe (2.5%), so the Zakat on trade merchandise is the same. It should neither be increased nor decreased as it is a right on the Muslim’s wealth which Allah (swt) obliged to be given to the eight categories as Zakat and purification. It is placed in the department of Sadaqah and spent amongst those listed in the Ayah.
Half-tithe (5%) is taken from the merchandise of Zimmi merchants when they cross the frontiers according to the peace treaty and agreements contracted with them at the time of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab. Today, if new agreements are contracted with the people of the Book or others, determining the amount taken from the goods with which they cross the State’s frontiers whether this is at the tithe (10%), one-third, one-quarter, one half, or more or less than that, then it is obligatory to conform to what is agreed upon.
Tithe (10%) is taken from the goods of Harbi merchants when they cross the frontiers. This amount is determined by what is taken from Muslim traders and merchants in a reciprocal arrangement. The tithe was the amount taken by Harbis from Muslim merchants crossing their lands at the time of ‘Umar and the Khulafa’a after him, so tithe was taken from the Harbis in reciprocation. From Ziyad bin Hudayr, he said: “I was the first person sent by ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab to collect tithe. He said: ‘He commanded me that I should not search anyone and to take one Dirham out of every forty from whoever passes among the Muslims, one out of twenty from Zimmis and the tithe from those without a covenant.’” From Anas bin Malik, he said: “‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab sent me to collect Ushr. He gave me a decree to take quartertithe from what Muslims moved with of their merchandise, half-tithe from Zimmis and the tithe from Harbis.”
Abu Musa al-Ash’ari wrote to ‘Umar saying: “The Muslim merchants go to the land of war and they take tithe from them. He said: ‘’Umar wrote to him: Take from them the same as they take from Muslim merchants.’” The people of Manbaj wrote to ‘Umar: “Allow us to enter your land as merchants and you can tax us. He said: ‘’Umar consulted the companions of the Messenger of Allah (saw) about this and they advised him to accept their offer and tax them.’” Thus the amount that was taken from Harbis was equivalent to the amount they took from Muslim merchants. If new agreements are contracted today it is necessary to restrict the amount taken from Harbi merchants and traders in accordance with the amount taxed by the Harbis on Muslim traders.
Taxes taken from Zimmi and Harbi merchants is booty for Muslims. It is to be placed in the department of booty and Kharaj and to be spent like the expenditure of Jizya and Kharaj.
The amount taken from Zimmi and Harbi merchants is delegated to the Khalifah. He may increase or decrease it according to the peace agreements either already contracted or to be contracted. He may also act reciprocally to how Muslim merchants are treated in accordance to the interest of the Muslims and the conveying of the Da’wah. Abdullah bin ‘Umar narrated that “‘Umar used to take half-tithe (5%) from oil and wheat so as to increase their load into Madinah and took the tithe from vegetables (peas, beans, lentils).”
From What is the ‘Ushr (Tithe) Taken and When
‘Ushr is taken from all types of trading properties, whatever their type, whether goods, animals, crops or fruits. It is not taken from non-trading properties, so it is not taken from a person’s clothes, his tools, personal articles or food. If anyone claims that the commodities he is carrying are not for trade, where similar commodities are for trade, then his claim will not be accepted except with proof supporting his claim.
‘Ushr is not taken from Zimmi or Harbi traders except from goods crossing the frontiers. It is not taken from trading goods of Zimmis or Harbis internally (within the State) unless stated in the peace or trading agreements with other states. This is so because there is no Zakat upon them, nor is anything obliged upon Zimmis within the State except Jizya on their heads and Kharaj on their lands, or what was stated in the peace treaties with them such as their feeding the army or showing hospitality to Muslims, as in the contractual obligation in ‘Umar’s time. As for Harbis, it is necessary to deal with them reciprocally and according to the texts of the agreements and conditions that allow them to enter Dar ul-Islam. If these allow the taking of something from their goods internally then it is taken. If not, then nothing is taken from them. As for Muslims, Zakat is imposed upon their properties and trading merchandise.
‘Ushr is only taken once each year upon a single good even if the trader crosses with it by the collector (Al-’Ashir) repeatedly. From Ziyad bin Hudayr, he said: “His father used to collect from a Christian twice in every year, so the Christians went to ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab and said: ‘O Amir al-Mumineen, your governor takes from me Ushr twice each year.’ ‘Umar said: ‘That is not correct. He should collect it only once each year.’ Then he came again and said: ‘I am an old Christian man.’ ‘Umar said: ‘And I am an old Muslim man. I have written regarding your case (in other words, taken care of you).’”
As for a Zimmi or Harbi trader repeatedly crossing with different goods on each trip, his case for each new trade he crosses with is the same as that of the Muslim where Zakat is taken for each trade he crosses with. If the Muslim claims he has given the Zakat on his trade, it will be accepted by his oath or his presenting a legal proof supporting that he has given the Zakat on his trade, as Zakat is not obliged except once in a year. Quarter-tithe (2.5%) is taken as Zakat from each trade that he has not given Zakat upon.
Quarter-tithe is taken from the Muslim trader if his trade reaches the Nisab (limited amount) of Zakat and a year has passed. In other words, if the value has reached 20 golden Mithqal or 85 grams of gold, or 200 silver Dirhams or 595 grams of silver. Nothing is taken from him if his trade has not reached the Nisab amount of Zakat. As for the Zimmi or Harbi, it is taken from all trading properties that they carry irrespective of the amount.
The post of Al-’Ashir (Ushr collector) is a sensitive one since the collector may possibly oppress the people, or be subject to temptation and bribery, therefore it is necessary that the collector be a good and pious person such that he does not oppress people, deal with them harshly nor take more than that which is obliged from them. Similarly he should not be susceptible to temptation or bribery so as to reduce what must be taken from the traders. In doing this, he would harm the rights of Muslims in Bait ul-Mal. It is thus important to continuously examine the characteristics of the collector so that whoever is found to be offensive is punished, disciplined or removed.