The Prophet ﷺ defends al-Abbas over the sadaqah

[AI] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Umar ibn al-Khattab as a collector over the sadaqah. The first person he met was al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, so he said to him: O Abu al-Fadl, bring the sadaqah of your wealth. He said to him, “You were such-and-such, and you were such-and-such,” and he spoke harshly to him. Umar said to him: By Allah, were it not for Allah and your rank with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I would have answered you in kind for some of what came from you.

They then parted, one taking one road and the other taking another. Umar came until he entered upon Ali ibn Abi Talib and mentioned that to him. Ali took Umar by the hand until the two of them entered upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Umar said: O Messenger of Allah, you sent me as a collector over the sadaqah, and the first person I met was your uncle al-Abbas. I said, O Abu al-Fadl, bring the sadaqah of your wealth. He said to me, “You were such-and-such, and you were such-and-such,” rebuked me, and spoke harshly to me. So I said: By Allah, were it not for Allah and your rank with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I would have answered you in kind for some of what came from you. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Honor him; may Allah honor you. Did you not know that a man’s paternal uncle is the counterpart of his father?! Do not speak to al-Abbas, for we have already taken from him in advance the sadaqah of two years."

بَعَثَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّاب سَاعيًا عَلَى الصَّدَقَة، فَأَوَّلُ مَنْ لَقيَهُ الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْد الْمُطَّلِبِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا أَبَا الْفَضْلِ: هَلُمَّ صَدَقَةَ مَالِكَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: كُنْتُ وَكُنْتَ، وَأَغْلَظَ عَلَيْهِ في الْقَوْلَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ: أَمَا وَالله لَوْلَا الله وَمَنْزِلَتُكَ مِنْ رَسُول الله ﷺ لَكَافَأَتُكَ ببَعْض مَا كَانَ مِنْكَ.

فَافتَرَقَا، وَأَخَذَ هَذَا فِي طَرِيقٍ وَهَذَا في طَريقٍ، فَجَاءَ عُمَرُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بْن أَبِى طَالِبٍ، فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ، فَأَخَذَ عَلىٌّ بيَدِ عُمَرَ حَتَّى دَخَلَا عَلَى رَسُول الله ﷺ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: يَا رَسُولَ الله، بَعَثْتَنى سَاعيًا عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ، فَأَوَّلُ مَنْ لَقِيتُ عَمكَ الْعَبَّاس، فَقُلْتُ، يَا أَبَا الْفَضْلِ: هَلُمَّ صَدَقَةَ مَالِكَ. فَقَالَ لِى: كُنْت وَكُنْت، وَأَنَّبَنى وَأَغْلَظَ لِىَ الْقَوْل. فَقُلْتُ: أَمَا وَالله، لَوْلَا الله وَمَنْزلَتُكَ منْ رَسُول الله ﷺ لَكَافَأَتُكَ بِبَعْض ما كان مِنْكَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ: «أَكْرمْهُ أَكْرَمَكَ الله، أَمَا عَلمْتَ أنَّ عَمَّ الرَّجُل صنْوُ أَبيهِ؟! لَا تُكَلِّمِ الْعَبَّاسَ؛ فَإِنَّا قَدْ تَعَجَّلْنَا مِنْهُ صَدَقَةَ سَنَتَيْن».