The Book of Zakat

كتاب الزكاة

Chapter 36: The one for whom it is permissible to ask for help

Qabisa b. Mukhariq al-Hilali said

I was under debt and I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and begged from him regarding it. He said: Wait till we receive Sadaqa, so that we order that to be given to you. He again said: Qabisa, begging is not permissible but for one of the three (classes) of persons: one who has incurred debt, for him begging is permissible till he pays that off, after which he must stop it; a man whose property has been destroyed by a calamity which has smitten him, for him begging is permissible till he gets what will support life, or will provide him reasonable subsistence; and a person who has been smitten by poverty. the genuineness of which is confirmed by three intelligent members of this peoples for him begging is permissible till he gets what will support him, or will provide him subsistence. Qabisa, besides these three (every other reason) for begging is forbidden, and one who engages in such consumes that what is forbidden.

Chapter 37: It is permissible to take without asking for it or hoping for it

Salim b. Abdullah b. 'Umar reported on the authority of his father ('Abdullah b. 'Umar) that he had heard 'Umar b. Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) saying

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave me a gift, but I said: Give it to one who needs it more than I. He gave me wealth for the second time but I said: Give it to one who needs it more than I. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Take out of this wealth which comes to you without your being avaricious and without begging, but in other circumstance's do not let your heart hanker after it.

Salim b. 'Abdullah reported on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave to 'Umar b. Khattab some gift. Umar said to him

Messenger of Allah, give it to one who needs it more than I. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Take it; either keep it with you or give it as a charity, and whatever comes to you in the form of this type of wealth, without your being avaricious or begging for it, accept it, but in other circumstances do not let your heart hanker after it. And it was on account of this that Ibn 'Umar never begged anything from anyone, nor refused anything given to him.

This hadith has been narrated by Abdullah b. al-Sa'di from 'Umar b. al-Khattab who heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Ibn al-Sa'di Maliki reported

'Umar b. Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) appointed me as a collector of Sadaqa. When I had finished that (the task assigned to me) and I handed over that to him (to 'Umar), he commanded me to (accept) some remuneration (for the work). I said: I performed this duty for Allah and my reward is with Allah. He said: Take whatever has been given to you, for I also performed this duty during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He assigned me the task of a collector and I said as you say, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: When you are given anything without your begging for it, (then accept it), eat it and give it in charity.

Ibn al-Sa'di reported

'Umar b. Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) appointed me as a collector of Sadaqat. The rest of the hadith in the same.

Chapter 38: It is disliked to be eager to acquire worldly gains

Abu Huraira reported from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as having said this

The heart of an old person feels young for the love of two things: love for long life and wealth.

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said this

The heart of an old person is young for two things: for long life and love for wealth.

Anas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The son of Adam grows old, but two (desires) in him remain young: desire for wealth and desire for life.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Anas through another chain of transmitters.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas through another chain of transmitters.

Chapter 39: If the Son of Adam had two valleys, he would desire a third

Anas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

If the son of Adam were to possess two valleys of riches. he would long for the third one. And the stomach of the son of Adam is not filled but with dust. And Allah returns to him who repents.

Anas b. Malik reported

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying this, but I do not know whether this thing was revealed to him or not, but he said to.

Anas b. Malik reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

If there were two valleys of gold for the son of Adam, he would long for another one. and his mouth will not be filled but with dust, and Allah returns to him who repents.

Ibn Abbas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

If there were for the son of Adam a valley full of riches, he would long to possess another one like it. and Ibn Adam does not feel satiated but with dust. And Allah returns to him who returns (to Him). Ibn Abbas said: I do not know whether it is from the Qur'an or not; and in the narration transmitted by Zuhair it was said: I do not know whether it is from the Qur'an, and he made no mention of Ibn Abbas.

Abu Harb b. Abu al-Aswad reported on the authority of his father that Abu Musa al-Ash'ari sent for the reciters of Basra. They came to him and they were three hundred in number. They recited the Qur'an and he said

You are the best among the inhabitants of Basra, for you are the reciters among them. So continue to recite it. (But bear in mind) that your reciting for a long time may not harden your hearts as were hardened the hearts of those before you. We used to recite a surah which resembled in length and severity to (Surah) Bara'at. I have, however, forgotten it with the exception of this which I remember out of it:" If there were two valleys full of riches, for the son of Adam, he would long for a third valley, and nothing would fill the stomach of the son of Adam but dust." And we used so recite a surah which resembled one of the surahs of Musabbihat, and I have forgotten it, but remember (this much) out of it:" Oh people who believe, why do you say that which you do not practise" (lxi 2.) and" that is recorded in your necks as a witness (against you) and you would be asked about it on the Day of Resurrection" (xvii. 13).

Chapter 40: The virtue of contentment and encouragement thereof

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said

Richness does not lie in the abundance of (worldly) goods but richness is the richness of the soul (heart, self).

Chapter 41: Warning against being deceived by the splendor and luxury of this world

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up and addressed the people thus

O people, by Allah, I do not entertain fear about you in regard to anything else than that which Allah would bring forth for you in the form of adornment of the world. A person said: Messenger of Allah, does good produce evil? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained silent for a while and he then said: What did you say? He replied: Messenger of Allah, I said: Does good produce evil? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him: The good does not produce but good. but among the plants the spring rain produces There some which kill with a tremour or nearly kill all but the animal which feeds on vegetation. It eats and when its flanks are distended, it faces the can. then when it has donged or urinated and chewed it returns and eats. He who accepts wealth rightly, Allah confers blessing on it for him. and he who takes wealth without any right, he is like one who eats and is not satisfied.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said

The most dreadful thing I fear in your case is what Allah brings forth for you in the form of the adornment of the world. They (the Prophet's Companions) said: Messenger of Allah, what is the adornment of the world? He said: Blessings (the natural resources) of the earth. They (again) said: Messenger of Allah, does good produce evil? He said: No, only good comes out of good. No, only good comes out of good. No. only good comes out of good. All that which the spring rain helps to grow kills or is about to kill but (the animal) which feeds on vegetation. It eats and when its flanks are distended, it faces the sun, it chews the cud, it has dunged and urinated. it returns and eats. This wealth is green and sweet, and he who accepts it and applies it rightly, finds it a good help, but he who takes it wrongfully is like one who eats without being satisfied.

Abu Said al-Khudri reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was sitting on the pulpit and we were sitting around him, and he said: What I am afraid of in regard to you after my death is that there would be opened for you the adornments of the world and its beauties. A person said: Messenger of Allah, does good produce evil? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained silent. And it was said to him (the man who had asked the question from the Holy Prophet): What Is the matter with you, that you speak with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) but he does not speak with you? We thought as if revelation was descending upon him. He regained himself and wiped the sweat from him and said: He was the inquirer (and his style of expression showed as if he praised him and then added): Verily good does not produce evil. Whatever the spring rainfall causes to grow kills or is about to kill, but that (animal) which feeds on vegetation. It eats till its flanks are filled; it faces the sun and dungs and urinates. and then returns to eat. And this Wealth is a sweet vegetation, and it is a good companion for a Muslim who gives out of it to the needy, to the orphan. to the wayfarer, or something like that as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who takes it without his right is like one who eats but does not feel satisfied, and it would stand witness against him on the Day of judgment.