SECTION ON ZAKĀT · 12 – THE ZAKĀT OF HONEY
1600 – ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb narrated from his father, from his grandfather, who said: Hilāl, who was from the Banū Muṭʿan tribe, took the ʿushr (tithe) of his own bees and brought it to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). He asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) for the protection of the valley called Thalaba. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) designated that valley as a protected reserve for him. When ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb became caliph, Sufyān ibn Wahb wrote him a letter asking what should be done about this valley. ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote back: If Hilāl gives you the ʿushr of honey that he used to give to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), then designate Thalaba as a protected reserve for him in his name. If he does not pay, then he is like a rain-fly (i.e., one who subsists on what grows from the rain); whoever wishes may eat their honey.
EXPLANATION
According to Imām Aʿẓam (Abū Ḥanīfa), ʿushr is taken from honey produced on ʿushr land. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal is also of this view. According to al-Shāfiʿī and Mālik, there is no zakāt on honey. (Maʿālim al-Sunan, vol. 2, p. 209)
1601 – From ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb, from his father, from his grandfather: He mentioned a similar narration regarding the tribe of Shabāba, and there he said: (for every ten water-skins, one water-skin is to be given as ʿushr). Sufyān ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Thaqafī said (he protected two valleys for them, and he) added: (They paid the ʿushr to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) and then to ʿUmar, who then protected those two valleys for them.) [457]
EXPLANATION
Shabāba was a tribe that kept many bees. They were from the Fahm branch. They had settled in Ṭāʾif. Because they produced the best honey, when honey was praised, people would say "ʿAsal al-Shabāba" (the honey of Shabāba).
1602 – From the grandfather of ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb: "Shabāba is a clan of Fahm." He narrated the meaning of the previous hadith of Mughīra. "They would give one water-skin as ʿushr for every ten water-skins, and they had two (protected) valleys."