Kitab al-Kharaj (Book of Taxation) is a classic text on fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), written by Abu Yusuf Ya'qub Ibrahim al-Ansari al-Kufi (died 798; 182 A.H.) at the request of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (763 or 766-809). Abu Yusuf was the most famous student of Abu Hanifa and along with his illustrious teacher is considered one of the founders of the Hanafi school of law. In this article, we will explore the main themes and topics of Kitab al-Kharaj, as well as its historical and geographical context. We will also provide a link to download Kitab al-Kharaj by Abu Yusuf PDF 27 for free.
Kitab al-Kharaj is a comprehensive treatise on the collection of al-kharaj (the tax collected from non-Muslims), al-'ushur (a tithe payable by Muslims), al-sadaqat (alms), and related matters requiring attention and action. Harun al-Rashid's expressed intent was to use the work to address the oppressed condition of his subjects and to improve their economic well-being. The work includes such chapter headings as "A description of the land [subject to] tithing and al-kharaj, and of Arabs and non-Arabs and idolaters and the people of the book [i.e., Christians and Jews] and others." The work also contains a considerable amount of historical and geographical information on the early centuries of Islam. This can be seen, for example, in the account of the conquest of Byzantine and Sassanian lands contained in the chapter fasl fi ard al-sham wa al-jazira (Chapter on the land of Syria and Mesopotamia).
Kitab al-Kharaj is important for several reasons. First, it is one of the earliest and most authoritative sources on Islamic fiscal law, which deals with the rights and obligations of Muslims and non-Muslims regarding taxation, public expenditure, charity, and social welfare. Second, it reflects the political and economic realities of the Abbasid empire, which was expanding its territory and facing various challenges from internal and external enemies. Third, it provides valuable insights into the views and opinions of Abu Yusuf and his teacher Abu Hanifa, who were influential jurists and scholars in Islamic history. Fourth, it has been reprinted in multiple editions in modern times and has been translated from the original Arabic into English, Russian, and French.
If you are interested in reading Kitab al-Kharaj by Abu Yusuf PDF 27 for free, you can download it from this link: . This is a scanned copy of a manuscript that was completed in Damascus, near the end of Rajab, 1144 A.H. (January 1732). The table of contents, which appears to have been scattered and reattached to the book with its folios out of sequence, was apparently written about a century later, on Dhu al-Hijjah, 16, 1245 A.H. (June 1830), in Sarajevo (present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina). Alternatively, you can also read an English translation of Kitab al-Kharaj by A. Ben Shemesh, which was published in London by Luzac & Co. in 1969 .
Kitab al-Kharaj covers a wide range of themes and topics related to taxation and public finance in Islam. Some of the main themes and topics are:
Kitab al-Kharaj was written in a time and place that witnessed significant political and economic changes in the Islamic world. The Abbasid dynasty had replaced the Umayyad dynasty in 750 A.D., and had moved the capital from Damascus to Baghdad. The Abbasid caliphs expanded their empire to include new territories in Central Asia, North Africa, and Spain. They also faced various challenges from internal rebellions, sectarian movements, and external invasions. Harun al-Rashid was one of the most prominent Abbasid caliphs who ruled from 786 to 809 A.D. He is known for his patronage of arts, sciences, and literature. He also initiated several reforms in administration, justice, and taxation. He commissioned Abu Yusuf to write Kitab al-Kharaj as a guide for his governors and officials on how to collect taxes in a fair and efficient manner.
Abu Yusuf Ya'qub Ibrahim al-Ansari al-Kufi was born in Kufa, Iraq, around 731 or 732 A.D. He was a jurist, scholar, and judge who studied under Abu Hanifa, the founder of the Hanafi school of law. He was appointed as the chief judge of Baghdad by Harun al-Rashid and held this position until his death in 798 A.D. He was known for his expertise in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), especially in matters related to taxation, public finance, and administration. He wrote several books on fiqh, such as Kitab al-Kharaj, Kitab al-Athar (Book of Traditions), Kitab al-Radd 'ala Siyar al-Awza'i (Book of Refutation of the Legal Opinions of al-Awza'i), and Kitab al-Haraj (Book of Difficulties). He also wrote commentaries on the Quran and hadith (sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad). He was respected by his contemporaries and praised by later generations of scholars for his knowledge, piety, and justice.
The Hanafi school of law is one of the four major schools of Sunni Islam, along with the Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools. It is named after Abu Hanifa, who was born in Kufa, Iraq, around 699 A.D. and died in Baghdad in 767 A.D. He was a merchant and a scholar who developed a rational and systematic approach to fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) based on the Quran, the Sunnah (the practice of Prophet Muhammad and his companions), the consensus of the scholars (ijma'), and analogical reasoning (qiyas). He also used personal opinion (ra'y) and public interest (maslaha) as sources of law when there was no clear guidance from the primary sources. He had many students and followers who spread his teachings throughout the Islamic world. The Hanafi school of law is dominant in Turkey, Central Asia, South Asia, and parts of Africa and Europe. It differs from other schools of law in some aspects of ritual worship, family law, criminal law, and taxation. For example, the Hanafi school allows the use of musical instruments in worship, permits temporary marriage (mut'a), does not require stoning for adultery, and considers al-kharaj (land tax) to be a contractual rather than a religious obligation.
Kitab al-Kharaj by Abu Yusuf PDF 27 is a scanned copy of a manuscript that was written in Arabic in the 18th century. To read and understand it, you will need some basic knowledge of Arabic language and script, as well as some familiarity with the terminology and concepts of Islamic law and history. You will also need to pay attention to the quality and clarity of the scan, as some pages may be faded, blurred, or damaged. You can use the table of contents at the beginning of the book to navigate through the chapters and sections. You can also use the footnotes and marginal notes to find additional information or references. You can compare the manuscript with other editions or translations of Kitab al-Kharaj to check for accuracy and consistency.
Reading Kitab al-Kharaj by Abu Yusuf PDF 27 can have many benefits and challenges for different readers. Some of the benefits are:
Some of the challenges are:
If you want to cite and reference Kitab al-Kharaj by Abu Yusuf PDF 27 in your academic or scholarly work, you will need to follow the style and format of your discipline or institution. However, a general way to cite and reference this source is as follows:
In-text citation: (Abu Yusuf, 1732/1830)
Reference list: Abu Yusuf Ya'qub Ibrahim al-Ansari al-Kufi. (1732/1830). Kitab al-Kharaj. Manuscript completed in Damascus, near the end of Rajab, 1144 A.H. (January 1732) and table of contents written in Sarajevo on Dhu al-Hijjah, 16, 1245 A.H. (June 1830). Library of Congress. Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/item/2013415245/
If you are interested in reading more works related to Kitab al-Kharaj by Abu Yusuf PDF 27, you can check out some of these sources:
Kitab al-Kharaj by Abu Yusuf PDF 27 is a valuable source of Islamic law and history that deals with the topic of taxation and public finance in Islam. It was written by Abu Yusuf, one of the most influential jurists and scholars of the Hanafi school of law, at the request of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid. It reflects the political and economic realities of the Abbasid empire and its subjects, as well as the views and opinions of Abu Yusuf and his teacher Abu Hanifa. It covers a wide range of themes and topics related to taxation, such as the principles, sources, types, rules, administration, benefits, and consequences of taxation. It also provides historical and geographical information on the early centuries of Islam. It is available online as a scanned copy of a manuscript that was completed in Damascus in 1732 and has a table of contents written in Sarajevo in 1830. It has also been translated into several languages and has been reprinted in multiple editions. It is a useful resource for students and scholars of Islamic law and history, as well as for anyone interested in learning more about taxation and public finance in Islam.
0f8387ec75