The fifth of spoils (khums)

The fifth (khums) is the part set aside from the spoils before they are divided among the fighters. The verse of the fifth names its beneficiaries, and Rida discusses it in his commentary on Al-Anfal 41. ¹

Rida relates from Mujahid, 'Ikrima and al-Suddi that the first verse of al-Anfal, Al-Anfal 1, has its general terms abrogated by the detailed ruling in the verse of the fifth. Ibn Zayd said it is established (muhkam), and Rida prefers his view, because God explained the beneficiaries of the spoils in the verse of the fifth, so the detail is an explanation of the general rather than its abrogation. ²

Rida holds that the leader may grant whatever he wishes to whichever soldiers he chooses before the fifth is taken out, and that this does not conflict with the detailed ruling in the verse of the fifth. ²

The academic view on abrogation and clarification in the verse of al-Anfal has not yet been added here, nor the view of non-Sunni scholars, where it exists. ²