Zakat in the Sunnah of the Prophet Exhortation to the Payment of Zakat and Stressing its Status as an Obligatory Act

1. Ibn Umar narrated: The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: “Islam is built upon five pillars: Testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, establishing prayer, paying Zakat, performing hajj to the House (the Ka’bah), and fasting in Ramadan.” [Al-Bukhari ].
2. Abu Al-Darda, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “[There are] five things, whoever has them along with faith will be admitted to Paradise: Observing the five daily prayers, [as concerning] their ablution, their bowing, their prostration and their prescribed times, and fasting Ramadan, making hajj to the House, and paying Zakat with a goodwill). [Reported by al-Tabarni in Al-Kabir with a good chain].
3. Mu’adh Bin Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him narrated: I was with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, on a journey, and one day I was near him while we were going, so I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Tell me about an action that brings me close to Paradise and keeps me away from the Hellfire.” He said: “You are asking about a great matter. However, it is obtainable for him who Allah makes it easy for him. Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, and establish prayer, pay Zakat, fast Ramadan, and make hajj to the House ….). [Narrated by Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi who classified it as authentic, as well as Al-Nasaai and Ibn Majah].
4. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: “[There are] three matters concerning which I swear: Allah does not make one who has a share in Islam as one who does not; and the shares of Islam are three: Prayer, Fasting, Zakat, and if Allah takes care of a slave in this world, He will not leave him to be taken care of by any one other than Him on the Day of Resurrection.” [Narrated by Ahmad, with a good chain of narrators].

1.  Abdullah Bin Mas’oud, may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: “One who does not pay Zakat on his money will have a bold serpent emerging and surrounding his neck on the Day of Resurrection.” Then the Prophet, peace be upon him recited the evidence for this from the Book of Allah: “Let not those who hoard what Allah gave them of His bounty think it is better for them; rather it is evil for them, they will have what they hoarded surrounding their necks on the Day of Judgment.” [Al-Imran: 180] Narrated by Ibn Majah, Al-Nasai, and Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahih.  
2. Ali, may Allah be pleased with him said: The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him cursed the riba consumer, payer, witness, and writer, and cursed tattoo makers, and the one who seeks it, and the withholder of Zakat, ….).  
3. Anas Ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: “A withholder of Zakat will be in the Hellfire on the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by At-Tabarni in Al-Sagheer.  
4. Buraydah, may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: “No people withhold Zakat except that Allah afflicts them with famine.” Narrated by At-Tabaraani in Al-Awsat from trustworthy narrators, and Al-Hakim and Al-Bayhaqi, as: “And No people withhold Zakat except that Allah withholds rain from them.” Al-Hakim stated that it is authentic according to the conditions of Muslim.