[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ used to send Ibn Rawaha to the Jews to ascertain the ripeness of the dates before they were eaten. Then the Jews were given the option to take them with a type of payment or to leave them and give them to the Muslims as a form of zakat (charity). The Prophet ﷺ ordered this to be done so that the zakat could be calculated before the fruits were eaten and distributed.
شَأْنَ خَيْبَرَ «فَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَبْعَثُ ابْنَ رَوَاحَةَ إِلَى الْيَهُودِ فَيَحْزُرُ النَّخْلَ حِينَ يَطِيبُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُؤْكَلَ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ يُخَيِّرُونَ الْيَهُودَ بِأَنْ يَأْخُذُوهَا بِذَلِكَ الْخَرْصِ أَوْ يَدْفَعُوهَا إِلَيْهِمْ بِذَلِكَ وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِالْخَرْصِ لِكَيْ تُحْصَى الزَّكَاةُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُؤْكَلَ الثِّمَارُ وَيُفَرَّقَ»