Zakat and Fasting in Al-Muqni

Al-Muqni's chapters on zakah and sawm are among the most detailed treatments of these topics in the Hanbali tradition, presenting the school's positions systematically while noting points of internal disagreement and the evidence base for each ruling.

The zakah chapter in Al-Muqni covers all five categories of zakatable property with the Hanbali school's characteristic detail. On gold and silver jewelry, the Hanbali school holds that zakah is obligatory on gold and silver jewelry that a woman holds for personal use, ornamental lending, or investment — including jewelry regularly worn. This more expansive position distinguishes the Hanbali school from the Shafi'i and Maliki schools (which generally exempt jewelry held for personal use) and is based on hadiths in which the Prophet commanded zakah on women's ornaments.

For trade goods, the Hanbali school assesses their value in gold (using the gold nisab of approximately 85 grams modern weight) rather than silver. Ibn Qudamah explains that since gold is the primary monetary standard, using the gold nisab provides the correct basis for assessment. The merchant's intention is the determining factor for whether goods are trade goods or personal property.

On livestock, Al-Muqni presents the detailed tables of zakah thresholds for camels, cattle, and sheep/goats established by the prophetic letters preserved by the compilers of hadith. Ibn Qudamah explains the sa'imah condition (freely grazing livestock) and the cases where livestock grazed jointly by multiple owners is assessed — following the Hanbali position that partners' animals are combined for nisab purposes while the zakah obligation is divided proportionally among owners.

Al-Muqni also covers zakah al-fitr (the obligatory charity at the end of Ramadan) in detail: it is due on every Muslim who has more than they need for the day of Eid and its night, and must be paid before the Eid prayer. The amount is one sa' (approximately 2.5 kg) of the local staple food per person, including all dependents. Ibn Qudamah presents the prophetic basis for this ruling and examines the question of whether money may be paid instead of food — the Hanbali school generally prefers physical food, following the authenticated prophetic texts.

The fasting chapter in Al-Muqni covers the Ramadan fast with the Hanbali school's distinctive positions. The school follows the majority view that the nighttime intention is required for each day of Ramadan separately, cannot be made after Fajr, and must specify that the fast is for Ramadan. Ibn Qudamah notes the Maliki school's permissibility of a single intention for the entire month and explains why the Hanbali school does not adopt this position.

A distinctive Hanbali ruling is on cupping (hijama) as a fast-breaking act. Ibn Qudamah presents the Hanbali position that cupping breaks the fast based on the hadith 'The cupper and the one being cupped have broken their fast' (Ahmad, authenticated), and addresses the hadith showing the Prophet being cupped while fasting. He presents the Hanbali resolution: the later hadith of being cupped while fasting is not a reliable basis for abrogation because the earlier hadith of prohibition is stronger, or because the Prophet's cupping while fasting was a special dispensation for him specifically. This reasoning, while disputed by other schools, reflects the Hanbali school's commitment to following authenticated prophetic texts with maximum fidelity.