The Creed of Compassion-Islamic Teachings & Answering Doctrinal Misconceptions

Issue No. 1504- If a person who along with income, has some other property on which khums is not liable, or from which khums has been paid, it is not necessary for him to separate them although he can spend both and at the end of the khums year he is just obliged to pay khums on the surplus of the property which is not liable to khums or the money on which khums has already been paid.

Issue No. 1505- If one purchases provisions for his use during the year by his income, and at the end of the year, a portion of it remains unused, he should pay khums on it. The obligatory precaution is that he should calculate the khums of less important things also, like, small extra amount of foodstuffs and the likes. In case he wants to pay the price of the provisions as khums, he should consider its price at the end of the khums year irrespective of whether it is more that the buying price or less.

Issue No. 1507- The books that the students of religious seminaries or other students need and buy with their income, are not liable to khums. However, if they do not need them presently, and they intend to use them in the future, khums should be paid on them. (However, if such books are necessary to be in the library even though they may not be used once during the year, it will be reckoned as a need, so khums will not be due on them). Similarly, equipment such as fire extinguishers [in places where fear of fire is considerable], essential medicines and first aid kits in the house are regarded as the living expenditures, khums will not be due on them, even though they may remain unused during the whole year.

Issue No. 1508- If a person does not make any profit throughout the year, he cannot, as an obligatory precaution, deduct his expenditure for that year from the profit which he makes in the next year.

Issue No. 1510- Capital is subject to khums unless one pays khums on it even gradually he cannot run his life in a way befitting his social status with the remainder. Therefore, if paying khums does not harm his job he should pay khums on the capital. It makes no difference whether the capital is land and water for farming or tools or capital for business.

Issue No. 1516- A person cannot use a property whose khums has not been paid even with the intention to pay its khums later. Therefore, one cannot make use of it and in case he uses that property he has committed a sin and if it perishes, he still should pay khums for it.

Issue No. 1517- If a person who owes khums makes a compromise with the Mujtahid or his representative (taking into consideration the rights of those entitled to receive it), and takes responsibility for it, he can make use of the entire property, and the profit he earns from it after the compromise belongs to him.

Issue No. 1518- If a person who is in partnership with someone else, knows that his partner does not pay khums on his profit, it is not permissible for him to continue his partnership with him unless he pays khums due on his own share in which case we permit him to continue the partnership. However, enjoining good and forbidding evil in a polite manner should not be forgotten.

Issue No. 1519- A person cannot make use of a property on which he is sure khums has not been paid. However, if he doubts whether or not khums has been paid on someone’s property, it is permissible to make use of it, and there is no problem in accepting a gift or a dinner invitation or having business with such a person and it is not necessary to investigate about it.

Issue No. 1520- If a person who has not paid khums since he was mature, and has made profits and purchased some equipment for life, and has now become aware of his religious duty of khums and wishes to fulfil his duty and purify his life he should observe the following: If he has bought with the profits of his trade something which he does not need and one year has passed on it, he should pay its khums. If he has bought household equipment or other necessities in accordance with his social status, it is not necessary to pay khums on them, if he knows that he purchased them during the year with the same year’s profit. If he does not know whether it has been during that year or one year has passed on it, he should, as an obligatory precaution, make compromise with a Mujtahid or his representative. That is, he should calculate all his doubtful properties and the Mujtahid or his representative will make an estimation of khums and will compromise with him, and after he pays the khums, his entire property will become pure.

Issue No. 1522- One who possesses plenty of clothing, rings, ornaments and different household items, if he needs all of them and they are in accordance with his social status, they are not liable to khums provided that they have been acquired from the profits of the same year. In case however, they exceed his needs and status, the extra quantity would be liable to khums.

Issue No. 1523- Money spent on buying haram objects like gold rings for men and instruments for haram entertainment and misguiding amusement are all liable to khums.