Arabic (Original)
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السُّلَمِيُّ أنبأ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الْكَارِزِيُّ أنبأ عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدٍ فِي حَدِيثِ عَلِيٍّ فِي الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ لَهُ الدَّيْنُ الظَّنُونُ قَالَ يُزَكِّيهِ لِمَا مَضَى إِذَا قَبَضَهُ إِنْ كَانَ صَادِقًا حَدَّثَنَاهُ يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ عَنْ هِشَامٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سِيرِينَ عَنْ عُبَيْدَةَ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ؓ وَقَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدٍ قَوْلُهُ الظَّنُونُ هُوَ الَّذِي لَا يَدْرِي صَاحِبُهُ أَيَقْضِيهِ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الدَّيْنُ أَمْ لَا كَأَنَّهُ الَّذِي لَا يَرْجُوهُ
English Translation
Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami informed us... Abu Ubayd said regarding the hadith of Ali about a man who has a doubtful debt: 'He pays zakah on it for the past years when he collects it, if he was truthful.' This was narrated by Yazid ibn Harun from Hisham from Ibn Sirin from Ubaydah from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Ubayd said: His saying 'doubtful' (al-zanun) refers to a debt whose owner does not know whether the debtor will repay it or not, as though he does not expect its recovery.