Sahih al-Bukhari
Sahih al-Bukhari 7163
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي السَّائِبُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ ابْنُ أُخْتِ، نَمِرٍ أَنَّ حُوَيْطِبَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ السَّعْدِيِّ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، قَدِمَ عَلَى عُمَرَ فِي خِلاَفَتِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ أَلَمْ أُحَدَّثْ أَنَّكَ تَلِي مِنْ أَعْمَالِ النَّاسِ أَعْمَالاً، فَإِذَا أُعْطِيتَ الْعُمَالَةَ كَرِهْتَهَا. فَقُلْتُ بَلَى. فَقَالَ عُمَرُ مَا تُرِيدُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ لِي أَفْرَاسًا وَأَعْبُدًا، وَأَنَا بِخَيْرٍ، وَأَرِيدُ أَنْ تَكُونَ عُمَالَتِي صَدَقَةً عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ. قَالَ عُمَرُ لاَ تَفْعَلْ فَإِنِّي كُنْتُ أَرَدْتُ الَّذِي أَرَدْتَ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعْطِينِي الْعَطَاءَ فَأَقُولُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي. حَتَّى أَعْطَانِي مَرَّةً مَالاً فَقُلْتُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " خُذْهُ فَتَمَوَّلْهُ وَتَصَدَّقْ بِهِ، فَمَا جَاءَكَ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَالِ وَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ مُشْرِفٍ وَلاَ سَائِلٍ فَخُذْهُ، وَإِلاَّ فَلاَ تُتْبِعْهُ نَفْسَكَ "
Al-Sāʾib ibn Yazīd, the son of Namir’s sister, reported that Ḥuwayṭib ibn ʿAbd al-ʿUzzā told him that ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Saʿdī had told him: He came to ʿUmar during his caliphate. ʿUmar said to him, “Have I not been told that you take on some public duties, but dislike being given the payment for them?” I said, “Yes.” He asked, “Then what do you want?” I said, “I have horses and slaves and am well off. I want my payment to be charity for the Muslims.”
ʿUmar said, “Do not do that. I once wanted what you want. The Messenger of God would give me a grant, and I would say, ‘Give it to someone poorer than me.’ Then one time he gave me money, and I said, ‘Give it to someone poorer than me.’ The Prophet said, ‘Take it, make it your own, and give charity from it. Whatever of this wealth comes to you while you are neither coveting it nor asking for it, take it; otherwise, do not let your soul pursue it.’”
Translation notes
The source first describes the public payment (ʿumāla) that ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Saʿdī wished to forgo. The Prophet’s advice distinguishes receiving wealth without eagerness or asking from pursuing it; both conditions are retained.