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This research examines the jurisprudential and legal perspectives on the issue of the ruler’s compulsory collection of zakat without the payer’s intention, with a specific focus on the application of Pakistani law. The study aims to determine whether such compelled collection fulfills the religious obligation of zakat both outwardly and inwardly. Employing an inductive, analytical, and comparative methodology. The research gathers textual evidence from the Quran, Sunnah, and other sources of Islamic law, alongside statutory provisions of the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance, 1980 in Pakistan. Jurists have differed on this matter: the majority of Hanfi, Maliki, Shafi, and Hanbali scholars hold that compulsory collection by the ruler fulfills the obligation outwardly and inwardly; some Shafi’i and Hanbali scholars, including Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, maintain that it is valid outwardly only; while a minority opinion among the Hanafi school of thought states that it does not suffice without the payer’s intention. The legal framework in Pakistan mandates compulsory deduction of zakat from certain assets, particularly bank deposits, without requiring the payer’s intention, and treats such deductions as full discharge of the obligation, with limited exceptions. The findings indicate that Pakistani law aligns closely with the majority juristic view, though it emphasizes the administrative and regulatory nature of zakat collection more than its devotional aspect. The study concludes that while the compulsory system achieves the socio-economic objectives of zakat, its disregard for the payer’s intention raises theological considerations regarding personal worship and sincerity.