Question:

What is the view of Al-Mufid on the fifth part of the fee (Khums)?

Answer:

Abu Abdillah Al-Mufid writes: ,,Our companions disagree on the issue of the fifth part (Khums) during the period of occultation and each group of them tends to have one opinion. Some of them declare the obligation of its giving during the period of concealment of the Imam (a.) to be abrogated, due to the exemption that appears among the reports. Some of them take the view that it is kept as a treasure and interpret a report that says that the earth will pour out its treasures at the appearance of the Imam (a.). So when he rises, God shows him the treasures so that he may take them from all places. Some of them believe that it is relevant to the children and poor of the followers of the Imams (a.) in the form of a desired action (Mustahab). Some of them believe that it is left to the Imam of the time (a.). So, if one fears that one will meet death before his appearance, one entrusts it to someone who is trustworthy in reason and faith until one hands it over to the Imam (a.) and then one experiences his rising. If not, they entrust it to the one, who takes his place in trustworthiness and faith. Then it remains under this condition until the Imam of the time (a.) appears, and this opinion is, in my opinion, the clearest of all those mentioned, because the fifth part (khums) is a right that is a obligation towards its owner.” [Al-Hada’iq-un-Nadirah by Yusuf Al-Bahrani, Volume 12 Page 437 – 438]

قال أبو عبد الله المفيد: قد اختلف أصحابنا في حديث الخمس عند الغيبة وذهب كل فريق منهم فيه إلى مقال: فمنهم من يسقط فرض اخراجه لغيبة الإمام بما تقدم من الرخص فيه من الأخبار، وبعضهم يذهب إلى كنزه ويتأول خبرا ورد أن الأرض تظهر كنوزها عند ظهور الإمام وأنه عليه السلام إذا قام دله الله على الكنوز فيأخذها من كل مكان وبعضهم يرى صلة الذرية وفقراء الشيعة على طريق الاستحباب، وبعضهم يرى عزله لصاحب الأمر فإن خشي ادراك الموت قبل ظهوره وصى به إلى من يثق به في عقله وديانته حتى يسلم إلى الإمام عليه السلام ثم إن أدرك قيامه وإلا وصى به إلى من يقوم مقامه في الثقة والديانة، ثم على هذا الشرط إلى أن يظهر إمام الزمان عليه السلام قال: وهذا القول عندي أوضح من جميع ما تقدمه، لأن الخمس حق وجب لصاحبه