Another point may be added here as a point of difference between the Ibadhi and other Islamic schools. It concerns the discharge (qada) of days not fasted from the previous Ramadhan. Ibadhis held that compensatory fasting days to discharge those not fasted in Ramadhan should be kept successively. The other Islamic schools held that succeeding days are not obligatory in such a case, and the person should fast the requite number of days regardless of whether he fasts them in succession or not.145

IV) ZAKAT

With regard to Zakat there are two points:

ii) Ibadhis treated cattle in the same way as camels. The minimum (nisab) for zakat in cattle is as for camels;146 on five cows, one sheep; on ten, two sheep; on fifteen, three sheep; on thirty six, one cow of two to three years (thaniyah); on forty six, one cow five years old (rubaiyah); on sixty one, one cow six years old, etc.... As for the Sunni schools, they held that the minimum (nisab) for cattle is: On thirty cows, a year old calf, on forty, one two year old cow, etc.... The latter opinion is based on a number of Traditions reported from the Prophet concerning the minimum (nisab) of zakat of cattle.147 Abu Ghanim asked Abu al-Mu'arrij about the Tradition of Muadh reported by Sunni authorities in support of their views. His answer was, "The opinion of our authorities from whom we learned and on whom we depend is that the Sunnah in the zakat of cattle is like the Sunnah in the zakat of camels, what is taken on camels is to be taken on cattle, and what is done in the case of camels is to be done in the case of cattle... As for the Tradition of Muadh, God knows best about it. If we knew that it was right we would adopt it, but our companions, Jabir b. Zaid and Abu Ubaidah, did not take what you have mentioned into account, and they head of it."148

Jitali, attempting to explain the reason for the difference and the Ibadhi proof for their attitude, said, "They (the Ibadhi authorities) adopt this attitude either by analogical reasoning, or on the basis of some traditions unknown to us."149 However, certain Sunni collections of Hadith reported Traditions which seem to be the basis of the (Ibadhi) opinion.150

ii) The second point is concerned with the conduct of the person to whom zakat should be given. The Ibadhis stipulate that the person should be in the state of (walayah). Accordingly, zakat must be given only to (awliya); if there are no poor people among these it must be given to the poor members of the Ibadhi community, even if they are not in the state of walayah. But if these also are not available, Ibadhis are then allowed to give their zakat to the weak poor non-Ibadhi Muslims who could do no harm to the Ibadhis.151