islamiyat2058/paper2/question3,4,5/Hz Abu Bakr/Refusal to pay Zakat

past papers
Oct/Nov 2018 paper 22
REFUSAL TO PAY ZAKAT:

The issue of the refusal to pay Zakat was a great test of the moral courage of Abu Bakr as the first Caliph of the Holy Prophet. 

After the demise of the Holy Prophet many surrounding tribes of Medina which had offered allegiance to Islam, sent a deputation to Abu Bakr with the proposal that their agreement with the Muslims had ended. 

A fresh agreement was necessary in which they should be relieved from the obligation to pay Zakat. Abu Bakr argued that Zakat was a fundamental injunction of Islam and had to be paid.

 Seeing their proposal being rejected these tribes decided to forego Islam. Their decision was to attack Medina when the main Muslim army was in Syria. 

They attacked at night but found Abu Bakr with his army ready to fight. 

The apostates were defeated; many tribesmen died while others fled in confusion.

 After this battle many tribes sent their delegates to Medina, offered allegiance and paid Zakat.

for the length of answer you can always connect importance of zakat as a pillar of Islam