Views & Actions Against those who Refused to pay the Zakat

The tribes of Asad, Ghatfan and Tayy gathered at the hand of Tulaihah bin Khuwailid, who had made a false claim to prophethood. Except for a few individuals, the people belonging to the tribe of Asad gathered at a place called Samira. This place has been named after an individual from the tribe of Aad, situated on the way to Mecca. This area is surrounded by black mountains, which is the reason for this place to be named as such. The people of Fuzarah and Ghatfan gathered in the south of Tiwah alongside their allies. [The people of] Tayy gathered at the outskirts of their area. The supporters from [the tribes of] Tha‘labah bin Saad, Murrah and Abs gathered at a place called Abraq in Rabazah. Rabazah is also a valley of Medina, located at a distance of three days. Abraq al-Zabadah was one of the places that belonged to the tribe of Zubyan. Some individuals from Banu Kinanah also joined them. However, those areas could not accommodate them and as such, two groups were formed. One group remained in Abraq, whereas the other group went to Dhul-Qassah, which is located at a distance of 40 miles from Medina. Tulaihah sent Hibal to their aid. Hibal was the nephew of Tulaihah. Nevertheless, in this manner, Hibal became the leader of the people in Dhul-Qassah, which also included supporters from the tribes of Asad, Lays, Beel and Mudlij. Auf bin Fulan bin Sinan was appointed as the leader of the tribe of Murrah, which was staying in Abraq. Haris bin Fulan, who belonged to the tribe of Subayh, was appointed as the leader of the tribes of Tha‘labah and Abs. All of these tribes gathered together and each tribe sent its respective delegation to Medina. These people stayed with the elders of Medina. All of them, with the exception of Hazrat Abbas (ra), accommodated them as their guests and brought them to Abu Bakr (ra). The condition that had been stipulated, however, was that they would continue to offer their prayers, but not give the Zakat. Allah had firmly grounded Abu Bakr (ra) on the truth and he said, “Even if they refuse to give so much as this rope [as Zakat], which they use to tie their camels, I will fight against them.”

(Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 2, 11 AH [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2012], pp. 254-255) (Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2001], p. 434) (Yaqut Ibn Abd Allah al-Hamawi, Mu‘jam al-Buldan [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah], Vol. 3, 67, 290, Vol. 1, p. 89) (Sayyid Fadl al-Rahman, Farhang-e-Sirat [Karachi, Pakistan: Zawwar Academy Publications, 2003], p. 236)