Punishment of Not Paying Zakaah !!

Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه ) reported: The Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said,

“Any person who possesses gold or silver and does not pay what is due on it (i.e., the Zakat); on the Day of Resurrection, sheets of silver and gold would be heated for him in the fire of Hell and with them his flank, forehead and back will be branded. When they cool down, they will be heated again and the same process will be repeated during the day the measure whereof will be fifty thousand years. (This would go on) until Judgement is pronounced among (Allaah’s) slaves, and he will be shown his final abode, either to Jannah or to Hell.”

It was asked, “How about someone who owns camels and does not pay what is due on him (i.e., their Zakat)?” He (صلى الله عليه و سلم) replied, “In the same way the owner of camels who does not discharge what is due in respect of them (their due includes their milking on the day when they are taken to water) will be thrown on his face or on his back in a vast desert plain on the Day of Resurrection and they will trample upon him with their hoofs and bite him with their teeth. As often as the first of them passes him, the last of them will be made to return during a day the measure whereof will be fifty thousand years, until Judgement is pronounced among (Allaah’s) slaves, he will be shown his final abode either to Jannah or to Hell.”

It was (again) asked: “O Messenger of Allaah, what about cows (cattle) and sheep?” He (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “If anyone who possesses cattle and sheep and does not pay what is due on them (i.e., their Zakat); on the Day of Resurrection, he will be thrown on his face in a vast plain desert. He will find none of the animals missing with twisted horns, without horns or with a broken horn, and they will gore him with their horns and trample upon him with their hoofs. As often as the first of them passes him, the last of them will be made to return to him during a day the measure whereof will be fifty thousand years, until Judgement is pronounced among (Allaah’s) slaves; and he will be shown his final abode either to Jannah or to Hell.”

It was asked: “O Messenger of Allaah, what about the horses?” Upon this he (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “The horses are of three types. One, which is a burden for the owner; another which is a shield, and another one which makes its owner entitled to reward. The one for whom these are a burden is the person who rears them for show or for pride or for causing injury to the sentiments of the Muslims. They will be a cause of torment for their owners. The one for whom these are a shield is the person who rears them for the sake of Allaah but does not forget the Right of Allaah concerning their backs and their necks (i.e., he lets a needy ride on them), and so they are a shield for him. Those which bring reward to the one who rears them in pastures and gardens are the ones that are used in the Cause of Allaah (Jihad) by the Muslims. Whatever they eat from the meadows and the gardens will be recorded on his behalf as good deeds so much so that their droppings and urine will be counted for an equal number of good deeds for him. Even when they break their tying rope and every height from which they climb and every hoofprint which they leave will be counted as a good deed on behalf of the owner. When their owner leads them through a stream from which they drink, though he does not intend to quench their thirst, yet Allaah would record for him the quantity (of water) of what they would drink on his behalf as good deeds.”

It was asked: “O Messenger of Allaah, what about the donkeys?” Upon this he (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “Nothing has been revealed to me in regard to the donkeys in particular except this one verse of a comprehensive nature:

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

“So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom

(or a small ant) shall see it.”’  

(Az-Zalzalah 99:8)

[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]