4. Zakāh (Charity)
٤۔ كِتَابُ الزَّكَاةِ
ʿUmar bin al Khattab ؓ appointed me in charge of the zakah, and when had finished with it and handed it over to him, he ordered that I be given some remuneration. I said: I only did it for the sake of Allah and my reward is with Allah. He said: Take what is given to you. I was appointed to do some work at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he gave me some remuneration, and I said the same as you have said, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: ʿIf you are given something without asking for it, then take it and give some in charity.” (Using translation from Aḥmad 371)
خُذْ مَا أُعْطِيتَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ عَمِلْتُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ مِثْلَ قَوْلِكَ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «إِذَا أُعْطِيتَ شَيْئًا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تَسْأَلَ فَكُلْ وَتَصَدَّقْ»
"I heard that you have been doing some work for the Muslims, and you are given payment for that, but you do not accept it. "I said: "Yes (that is so); I have horses and slaves and am well-off, and I wanted my work to be an act of charity toward the Muslims." 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I wanted the same thing as you. The Prophet used to give me money, and I would say: 'Give it to someone who is more in need of it than I am. Once he gave me money and I said: 'Give it to someone who us more in need of it that I am, and he said: 'Whatever Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, gives you of this wealth without you asking for it or hoping or it, take it and keep it, or give it in charity, and whatever. He does not give you then do not hope for it or wish for it."' (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2605)
أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَعْمَلُ عَلَى عَمَلٍ مِنْ أَعْمَالِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَتُعْطَى عَلَيْهِ عُمَالَةً فَلَا تَقْبَلُهَا؟ فَقَالَ أَجَلْ إِنَّ لِي أَفْرَاسًا وَأَعْبُدًا وَأَنَا بِخَيْرٍ فَأُرِيدُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَمَلِي صَدَقَةً عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنِّي أَرَدْتُ الَّذِي أَرَدْتَ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُعْطِينِي الْمَالَ فَأَقُولُ أَعْطِهِ مَنْ هُوَ أَحْوَجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي وَإِنَّهُ أَعْطَانِي مَرَّةً مَالًا فَقُلْتُ أَعْطِهِ مَنْ هُوَ أَحْوَجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي فَقَالَ «مَا آتَاكَ اللهُ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَالِ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ وَلَا إِشْرَافٍ فَخُذْهُ فَتَمَوَّلْهُ أَوْ تَصَدَّقْ بِهِ وَمَا لَا فَلَا تُتْبِعْهُ نَفْسَكَ»
"I heard that you do some jobs for the people but when payment is given to you, you refuse it." I said: "(that is so)." 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Why do you do that? I said: "I have horses and slaves and am well off, and I wanted my work to be an act of charity toward the Muslims." 'Umar said to him: "Do not do that. I used to want the same thing as you. The Messenger of Allah used to give me payment and I would say, 'Give it to someone who is more in need of it that I am.' But the Messenger of Allah said: "Take it and keep it or give it in charity. Whatever comes to you of this wealth when you are not hoping for it and not asking for it, take it, and whatever does not, then do not wish for it. "' (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2606)
لَهُ عُمَرُ أَلَمْ أُحَدَّثْ أَنَّكَ تَلِي مِنْ أَعْمَالِ النَّاسِ أَعْمَالًا فَإِذَا أُعْطِيتَ الْعُمَالَةَ رَدَدْتَهَا؟ فَقُلْتُ بَلَى فَقَالَ عُمَرُ فَمَا تُرِيدُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ؟ قُلْتُ لِي أَفْرَاسٌ وَأَعْبُدٌ وَأَنَا بِخَيْرٍ وَأُرِيدُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَمَلِي صَدَقَةً عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ فَلَا تَفْعَلْ فَإِنِّي كُنْتُ أَرَدْتُ مِثْلَ الَّذِي أَرَدْتَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُعْطِينِي الْعَطَاءَ فَأَقُولُ لَهُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «خُذْهُ تَمَوَّلْهُ أَوْ تَصَدَّقْ بِهِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَالِ وَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ مُشْرِفٍ وَلَا سَائِلٍ فَخُذْهُ وَمَا لَا فَلَا تُتْبِعْهُ نَفْسَكَ»
Was I not told that you do work for people, then when you are given your wages you do not accept it? I said: Yes. ʿUmar said: Why do you do that? I said: I have horses and slaves, and I am well off. I want my work to be an act of charity towards the Muslims. 'Umar said: Do not do that, for I wanted to do the same as you want to do. The Prophet ﷺ would give me some payment and I would say: Give it to one who is more in need of it than me. One day he gave me something and I said: Give it to one who is more in need of it than me. The Prophet ﷺ said: ʿTake it, keep it, and give it in charity, Whatever of this wealth comes to you when you are not hoping for it or asking for it, accept it, but if it does not come to you, do not hope for it.” (Using translation from Aḥmad 100)
عُمَرُ أَلَمْ أُحَدَّثْ أَنَّكَ تَلِي مِنْ أَعْمَالِ النَّاسِ أَعْمَالًا فَإِذَا أُعْطِيتَ الْعُمَالَةَ كَرِهْتَهَا؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ فَمَا تُرِيدُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ؟ قُلْتُ إِنَّ لِي أَفْرَاسًا وَأَعْبُدًا وَأَنَا بِخَيْرٍ فَأُرِيدُ أَنْ تَكُونَ عَمَالتِي صَدَقَةً عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ فَلَا تَفْعَلْ فَإِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ أَرَدْتُ الَّذِي أَرَدْتَ فَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُعْطِينِي الْعَطَاءَ فَأَقُولُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي حَتَّى أَعْطَانِي مَرَّةً مَالًا فَقُلْتُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «خُذْهُ فَتَمَوَّلْهُ وَتَصَدَّقْ بِهِ فَمَا جَاءَكَ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَالِ وَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ مُشْرِفٍ وَلَا سَائِلٍ فَخُذْهُ وَمَا لَا فَلَا تُتْبِعْهُ نَفْسَكَ»
I heard 'Umar say: The Prophet ﷺ used to give me things and I would say: Give it to one who has more need of it than me. Then one time he gave me some wealth and I said: Give it to one who has more need of it than me. The Prophet ﷺ said: ʿTake it and keep it or give it in charity. Whatever of this wealth comes to you when you are not hoping for it or asking for it, take it, otherwise do not hanker after it.” It was narrated from Salim, that his father said: I heard ‘Umar say: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to give me things... and he mentioned a similar hadeeth. (Using translation from Aḥmad 136)
سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُعْطِينِي الْعَطَاءَ فَأَقُولُ أَعْطِهِ مَنْ هُوَ أَفْقَرُ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي حَتَّى أَعْطَانِي مَرَّةً مَالًا فَقُلْتُ أَعْطِهِ مَنْ هُوَ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي فَقَالَ «خُذْهُ فَتَمَوَّلْهُ وَتَصَدَّقْ بِهِ وَمَا جَاءَكَ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَالِ وَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ مُشْرِفٍ وَلَا سَائِلٍ فَخُذْهُ وَمَا لَا فَلَا تُتْبِعْهُ نَفْسَكَ»