Question:

According to the scholar As-Saduq, is it necessary to pay the fifth part (Khums) to the descendants of the Prophet (Sayyid) who are Hashimites (Banu Hashim)?

Answer:

Muhammad Ibn Ali As-Saduq writes:

وقد فضل الله بني هاشم بتحريم الزكاة عليهم فأما اليوم فإنها تحل لهم لأنهم قد منعوا الخمس كل شيء تبلغ قيمته دينارا ففيه الخمس لله ولرسوله ولذي القربى واليتامى والمساكين وابن السبيل فأما الذي لله فهو لرسوله وما لرسوله فهو له عليه السلام وذوي القربى فهم أقربائه عليهم السلام واليتامى يتامى أهل بيته عليهم السلام والمساكين مساكينهم عليهم السلام وابن السبيل ابن سبيلهم عليهم السلام وأمر ذلك إلى الإمام يفرقه فيهم كيف شاء حضر كلهم أو بعضهم

“God favoured the Hashimites by forbidding alms (zakah) to them, but now they are allowed it because they are denied the fifth part (khums). In everything that reaches the value of a gold coin, the fifth part (khums) is reserved for God, His Messenger (s.), the relatives, the orphans, the poor and the traveller. So what is for God is for His Messenger (s.) and what is for His Messenger is for the Imam (a.) and as for the relatives, it is for his relatives (a.) and as for the orphans, it is for the orphans of the people of his house (a. ) and as for the poor, it is for their poor (a.) and as for the traveller, it is for their (a.) traveller and it is for the Imam (a.) to distribute them among them as he wishes, whether all of them are present or only some of them.” [Al-Hidayah, pages 176 – 177]