Punishment for wrongfully taking from zakat funds

The Prophet ﷺ appointed a man from the tribe of Bani Asad, called Ibn Al-Utabiyya to collect the Zakat. When he returned (with the money) he said (to the Prophet), "This is for you and this has been given to me as a gift." The Prophet ﷺ stood up on the pulpit (Sufyan said he ascended the pulpit), and after glorifying and praising Allah, he said, "What is wrong with the employee whom we send (to collect Zakat from the public) that he returns to say, 'This is for you and that is for me?' Why didn't he stay at his father's and mother's house to see whether he will be given gifts or not? By Him in Whose Hand my life is, whoever takes anything illegally will bring it on the Day of Resurrection by carrying it over his neck: if it is a camel, it will be grunting: if it is a cow, it will be mooing: and if it is a sheep it will be bleating!" The Prophet ﷺ then raised both his hands till we saw the whiteness of his armpits (and he said), "No doubt! Haven't I conveyed Allah's Message?" And he repeated it three times.

اسْتَعْمَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ رَجُلاً مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ ابْنُ الأُتَبِيَّةِ عَلَى صَدَقَةٍ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ قَالَ هَذَا لَكُمْ وَهَذَا أُهْدِيَ لِي فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ أَيْضًا فَصَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا بَالُ الْعَامِلِ نَبْعَثُهُ فَيَأْتِي يَقُولُ هَذَا لَكَ وَهَذَا لِي فَهَلاَّ جَلَسَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ فَيَنْظُرُ أَيُهْدَى لَهُ أَمْ لاَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ يَأْتِي بِشَىْءٍ إِلاَّ جَاءَ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَحْمِلُهُ عَلَى رَقَبَتِهِ إِنْ كَانَ بَعِيرًا لَهُ رُغَاءٌ أَوْ بَقَرَةً لَهَا خُوَارٌ أَوْ شَاةً تَيْعَرُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى رَأَيْنَا عُفْرَتَىْ إِبْطَيْهِ أَلاَ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ ثَلاَثًا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ قَصَّهُ عَلَيْنَا الزُّهْرِيُّ وَزَادَ هِشَامٌ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي حُمَيْدٍ قَالَ سَمِعَ أُذُنَاىَ وَأَبْصَرَتْهُ عَيْنِي وَسَلُوا زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَإِنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ مَعِي وَلَمْ يَقُلِ الزُّهْرِيُّ سَمِعَ أُذُنِي {خُوَارٌ} صَوْتٌ وَالْجُؤَارُ مِنْ تَجْأَرُونَ كَصَوْتِ الْبَقَرَةِ

Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed a man called Ibn Al-Lutabiyya to collect the Zakat from Bani Sulaim's tribe. When he returned, the Prophet ﷺ called him to account. He said (to the Prophet, 'This is your money, and this has been given to me as a gift." On that, Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Why didn't you stay in your father's and mother's house to see whether you will be given gifts or not if you are telling the truth?" Then the Prophet ﷺ addressed us, and after praising and glorifying Allah, he said: "Amma Ba'du", I employ a man from among you to manage some affair of what Allah has put under my custody, and then he comes to me and says, 'This is your money and this has been given to me as a gift. Why didn't he stay in his father's and mother's home to see whether he will be given gifts or not? By Allah, not anyone of you takes a thing unlawfully but he will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection, carrying that thing. I do not want to see any of you carrying a grunting camel or a mooing cow or a bleating sheep on meeting Allah." Then the Prophet ﷺ raised both his hands till the whiteness of his armpits became visible, and he said, "O Allah! Haven't I have conveyed (Your Message)?" The narrator added: My eyes witnessed and my ears heard (that Hadith).

اسْتَعْمَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَجُلاً عَلَى صَدَقَاتِ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ يُدْعَى ابْنَ اللُّتَبِيَّةِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ حَاسَبَهُ قَالَ هَذَا مَالُكُمْ وَهَذَا هَدِيَّةٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَهَلاَّ جَلَسْتَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيكَ وَأُمِّكَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَكَ هَدِيَّتُكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقًا ثُمَّ خَطَبَنَا فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَسْتَعْمِلُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ مِمَّا وَلاَّنِي اللَّهُ فَيَأْتِي فَيَقُولُ هَذَا مَالُكُمْ وَهَذَا هَدِيَّةٌ أُهْدِيَتْ لِي أَفَلاَ جَلَسَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُ هَدِيَّتُهُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ يَأْخُذُ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ شَيْئًا بِغَيْرِ حَقِّهِ إِلاَّ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ يَحْمِلُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلأَعْرِفَنَّ أَحَدًا مِنْكُمْ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ يَحْمِلُ بَعِيرًا لَهُ رُغَاءٌ أَوْ بَقَرَةً لَهَا خُوَارٌ أَوْ شَاةً تَيْعَرُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَهُ حَتَّى رُئِيَ بَيَاضُ إِبْطِهِ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ بَصْرَ عَيْنِي وَسَمْعَ أُذُنِي

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed a man from the Asad tribe who was called Ibn Lutbiyya in charge of Sadaqa (i. e. authorised hign to receive Sadaqa from the people on behalf of the State. When he returned (with the collictions), he said: This is for you and (this is mine as) it was presented to me as a gift. The narrator said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upod him) stood on the pulpit and praised God and extolled Him. Then he said: What about a State official whom I give an assignment and who (comes and) says: This is for you and this has been presented to me as a gift? Why didn't he remain in the house of his father or the house of his mother so that he could observe whether gifts were presented to him or not. By the Being in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, any one of you will not take anything from it but will bring it on the Day of Judgment, carrying on his neck a camel that will be growling, or a cow that will be bellowing or an ewe that will be bleating. Then he raised his hands so that we could see the whiteness of his armpits. Then he said twice: O God, I have conveyed (Thy Commandments).

اسْتَعْمَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَسْدِ يُقَالُ لَهُ ابْنُ اللُّتْبِيَّةِ قَالَ عَمْرٌو وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ قَالَ هَذَا لَكُمْ وَهَذَا لِي أُهْدِيَ لِي قَالَ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَ مَا بَالُ عَامِلٍ أَبْعَثُهُ فَيَقُولُ هَذَا لَكُمْ وَهَذَا أُهْدِيَ لِي أَفَلاَ قَعَدَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيهِ أَوْ فِي بَيْتِ أُمِّهِ حَتَّى يَنْظُرَ أَيُهْدَى إِلَيْهِ أَمْ لاَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لاَ يَنَالُ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا إِلاَّ جَاءَ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَحْمِلُهُ عَلَى عُنُقِهِ بَعِيرٌ لَهُ رُغَاءٌ أَوْ بَقَرَةٌ لَهَا خُوَارٌ أَوْ شَاةٌ تَيْعِرُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى رَأَيْنَا عُفْرَتَىْ إِبْطَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ مَرَّتَيْنِ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed a man from the Azd tribe called Ibn al-Utbiyya, in charge of Sadaqat to be received from Banu Sulaim. When he came (back), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him to render his account. He said: This wealth is for you (i.e. for the public treasury) and this is a gift (presented to me). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: You should have remained in the house of your father and your mother, until your gift came to you if you spoke the truth; then he addressed us. He praised God and extolled Him, and afterwards said: I appoint a man from you to a responsible post sharing with him authority that God has entrusted to me, and he comes to me saying: This wealth is for you (i.e. for the public treasury) and this is a gift presented to me. Why did he not remain in the house of his father and his mother and his gift came to him, if he was truthful? By God, any one of you will not take anything from (the public funds) without any justification, but will meet his Lord carrying it on himself on the Day of judgment. I will recognise any one of you meeting Allah and carrying a growling camel, or a cow bellowing or a goat bleating. Then he raised his hands so high that whiteness of his armpits could be seen. Then he said: O my Lord, I have conveyed (Thy Commandments). The narrator says: My eyes saw (the Prophet standing in that pose) and my ears heard (what he said).

اسْتَعْمَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَزْدِ عَلَى صَدَقَاتِ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ يُدْعَى ابْنَ الأُتْبِيَّةِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ حَاسَبَهُ قَالَ هَذَا مَالُكُمْ وَهَذَا هَدِيَّةٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَهَلاَّ جَلَسْتَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيكَ وَأُمِّكَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَكَ هَدِيَّتُكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقًا ثُمَّ خَطَبَنَا فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَسْتَعْمِلُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ مِمَّا وَلاَّنِي اللَّهُ فَيَأْتِي فَيَقُولُ هَذَا مَالُكُمْ وَهَذَا هَدِيَّةٌ أُهْدِيَتْ لِي أَفَلاَ جَلَسَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُ هَدِيَّتُهُ إِنْ كَانَ صَادِقًا وَاللَّهِ لاَ يَأْخُذُ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا بِغَيْرِ حَقِّهِ إِلاَّ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَحْمِلُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلأَعْرِفَنَّ أَحَدًا مِنْكُمْ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ يَحْمِلُ بَعِيرًا لَهُ رُغَاءٌ أَوْ بَقَرَةً لَهَا خُوَارٌ أَوْ شَاةً تَيْعِرُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى رُئِيَ بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ بَصُرَ عَيْنِي وَسَمِعَ أُذُنِي

The Prophet ﷺ appointed a man of Azd called Ibn al-Lutbiyayah (to collect sadaqah). The narrator Ibn al-Sarh said: (He appointed) Ibn al-Utbiyyah to collect the sadaqah. When he returned he said: This is for you and this was given to me as present. So the Prophet ﷺ stood on the pulpit, and after praising and extolling Allah he said: What is the matter with a collector of sadaqah. We send him (to collect sadaqah), and when he return he says: This is for you and this is a present which was given to me. Why did he not sit in his father's or mother's house and see whether it would be given to him or not ? Whoever takes any of it will inevitably bring it on the Day of Resurrection, be it a camel which rumbles, an ox which bellows, or sheep which-bleats. Then raising his arms so that we could see where the hair grow under his armpits, he said: O Allah, have I given full information ? O Allah, have I given full information ?

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ اسْتَعْمَلَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَزْدِ يُقَالُ لَهُ ابْنُ اللُّتْبِيَّةِ قَالَ ابْنُ السَّرْحِ ابْنُ الأُتْبِيَّةِ عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ فَجَاءَ فَقَالَ هَذَا لَكُمْ وَهَذَا أُهْدِيَ لِي فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَ مَا بَالُ الْعَامِلِ نَبْعَثُهُ فَيَجِيءُ فَيَقُولُ هَذَا لَكُمْ وَهَذَا أُهْدِيَ لِي أَلاَّ جَلَسَ فِي بَيْتِ أُمِّهِ أَوْ أَبِيهِ فَيَنْظُرَ أَيُهْدَى لَهُ أَمْ لاَ لاَ يَأْتِي أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ بِشَىْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ جَاءَ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنْ كَانَ بَعِيرًا فَلَهُ رُغَاءٌ أَوْ بَقَرَةً فَلَهَا خُوَارٌ أَوْ شَاةً تَيْعَرُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى رَأَيْنَا عُفْرَةَ إِبْطَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ اللَّهُمَّ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ

The Prophet ﷺ appointed a man of Azd called Ibn al-Lutbiyayah (to collect sadaqah). The narrator Ibn al-Sarh said: (He appointed) Ibn al-Utbiyyah to collect the sadaqah. When he returned he said: This is for you and this was given to me as present. So the Prophet ﷺ stood on the pulpit, and after praising and extolling Allah he said: What is the matter with a collector of sadaqah. We send him (to collect sadaqah), and when he return he says: This is for you and this is a present which was given to me. Why did he not sit in his father's or mother's house and see whether it would be given to him or not ? Whoever takes any of it will inevitably bring it on the Day of Resurrection, be it a camel which rumbles, an ox which bellows, or sheep which-bleats. Then raising his arms so that we could see where the hair grow under his armpits, he said: O Allah, have I given full information ? O Allah, have I given full information ? (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 2946)

اسْتَعْمَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْأَزْدِ يُقَالُ لَهُ ابْنُ اللُّتْبِيَّةِ عَلَى صَدَقَةٍ فَجَاءَ فَقَالَ هَذَا لَكُمْ وَهَذَا أُهْدِيَ لِي فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ مَا بَالُ الْعَامِلِ نَبْعَثُهُ فَيَجِيءُ فَيَقُولُ هَذَا لَكُمْ وَهَذَا أُهْدِيَ لِي أَفَلَا جَلَسَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ فَيَنْظُرَ أَيُهْدَى إِلَيْهِ أَمْ لَا؟ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَا يَأْتِي أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنْهَا بِشَيْءٍ إِلَّا جَاءَ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى رَقَبَتِهِ إِنْ كَانَ بَعِيرًا لَهُ رُغَاءٌ أَوْ بَقَرَةً لَهَا خُوَارٌ أَوْ شَاةً تَيْعَرُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى رَأَيْنَا عُفْرَةَ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللهُمَّ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ ثَلَاثًا وَزَادَ هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ قَالَ أَبُو حُمَيْدٍ سَمِعَ أُذُنِي وَأَبْصَرَ عَيْنِي وَسَلُوا زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ