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Khums

Q:

Salaam, i’d like to know how much one is required to pay ( in terms of charity) for clothes or othrr things that have not been used for a year, as i was told that Imam e Zamana had said that we should take out charity for the things that we keep but dont use for over a year. Kindly elaborate the details on this. Thanks

A:

Alaykum Salaam.

“Khums” literally means “one-fifth or 20%”. In Islamic legal terminology, it means “one-fifth of certain items which a person acquires as wealth, and which must be paid as an Islamic tax”.

Khums should be divided into two parts. One part is Sehme Sadaat, it should be given to a Sayyid who is poor, or orphan, or who has become stranded without money during his journey. The second part is Sehme Imam (A.S.), and during the present time it should be given to a Mujtahid, who fulfils all conditions or be spent for such purposes as allowed by that Mujtahid. As an obligatory precaution, that Mujtahid must be Aalam, and well versed in public affairs.

Please refer to the following link for further read: Khums – Islamic Tax
Laila Habib