What is the Khoms (خمس)?

Question

Is it true that you must pay 1/5 of your money to a mullah every years?

And what is the reason to selected 1/5.

Answer 1

In the Shia school of thought paying Khums is obligatory. It is an Islamic tax of one-fifth of a person's surplus annual income, which means the amount of money after deducting all living expenses for one year.

It is based on the following Vers of the Qur'an:

Know that whatever of a thing you acquire, a fifth of it is for Allah, for the Messenger, for the near relative, and the orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer...(8:41)

According to the vers, the amount of khums being paid, is split into two main parts:

50% (sihmu 'l-Imam) for Allah swt and the Prophet, which is after the death of the Prophet his successor. As the Shia believe in the occultation of the 12. Imam, the share is paid to his representatives, to the knowledgeable and trustworthy mujtahids.

50%(sihmu 's-sadat) for the needy, orphans and traveller of the Sayyids who descend from the Prophet.

Khums (sihmu 'l-Imam) is a guarantee for the financial independence of the Shia `ulama', as they do not receive money from the government. Furthermore, it is used for the propagation of the religion of Islam, building mosques, Islamic centres, orphanages etc.