What is the ruling on combining taxable livestock owned by one person when the locations are separated by a distance allowing prayer shortening?
Chapter on Zakat on Sheep
Al-Mughni
Book of Zakat
Primary text
There are two narrations from Ahmad regarding this. The primary narration states that each property retains its own ruling; it is assessed individually. If it reaches the *Nisab* (statutory minimum), Zakah is due on it, otherwise not, and it is not combined with the property in the other location. This view is supported by Ibn al-Mundhir, who cites the hadith, 'No separate property is to be combined, nor is combined property to be separated, out of fear of charity' (a general principle preventing forced combination).
Supporting text
The second narration suggests that the official collector (*Musaddiq*) does not take anything because he cannot find a complete *Nisab* gathered in one place. However, the owner, knowing the full extent of his wealth, must pay the Zakah himself to the poor. This latter view is chosen by Abu al-Khattab and aligns with the position of the majority of jurists, including Malik, who holds that the wealth should be combined and Zakah paid by the owner. This is supported by the hadith regarding the Zakah on sheep: 'For forty sheep, one sheep is due.' It is understood that the first narration from Ahmad applies to the collector's inability to collect, not the owner's obligation to pay.