English translation
7305. Narrated Mālik bin Aus An-Naṣrī: I proceeded till I entered upon 'Umar (and while I was sitting there), his gate-keeper Yarfā came to him and said, "'Uthmān, 'Abdur-Raḥmān, Az-Zubair and Sa'd ask your permission to come in." 'Umar allowed them. So they entered, greeted, and sat down. (After a while the gatekeeper came) and said, "Shall I admit 'Ali and 'Abbās?" 'Umar allowed them to enter. Al-'Abbās said, "O chief of the believers! Judge between me and the oppressor ('Alī)." Then there was a dispute (regarding the property of Bani Naḍir) between them (1) (7304) Li'an: See glossary. (‘Abbās and ‘Alī). ‘Uthmān and his companions said, “O chief of the believers! Judge between them and relieve one from the other.” ‘Umar said, “Be patient! I beseech you by Allāh, with Whose Permission the heaven and the earth exist! Do you know that Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ said, ‘Our property is not to be inherited, and whatever we leave is Sadaqa (to be given in charity),’ and by this Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ meant himself?” On that the group said, “He verily said so.” ‘Umar then faced ‘Ali and ‘Abbās and said, “I beseech you both by Allāh, do you both know that Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ said so?” They both replied, “Yes”. ‘Umar then said, “Now I am talking to you about this matter (in detail). Allāh favoured Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ with some of this wealth which He did not give to anybody else, as Allāh said: ‘What Allāh gave as booty (Faī) to His Messenger (Muḥammad ﷺ) from them, for this you made no expedition...’ (59:6) So that property was totally meant for Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ, yet he did not collect it and ignore you, nor did he withhold it with your exclusion, but he gave it to you and distributed it among you till this much of it (i.e., the property of Banī Naḏīr) was left behind, and the Prophet ﷺ used to spend of this as the yearly expenditures of his family and then take what remained of it and spent it as he did with (other) Allāh’s Wealth. The Prophet ﷺ did so during all his lifetime, and I beseech you by Allāh, do you know that?” They replied, “Yes”. ‘Umar then addressed ‘Ali and ‘Abbās, saying, “I beseech you both by Allāh, do you know that?” Both of them replied, “Yes”. ‘Umar added, “Then Allāh took His Messenger ﷺ unto Him. Abū Bakr then said, ‘I am the successor of Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ,’ and took over all the Prophet’s property and disposed of it in the same way as Allāh's Messenger ﷺ used to do, and you were present then." Then he turned to 'Alī and 'Abbās and said, "You both claim that Abū Bakr did so-and-so in managing the property, but Allāh knows that Abū Bakr was honest, righteous, intelligent, and a follower of what is right in managing it. Then Allāh took Abū Bakr unto Him. (After his death) I said, 'I am the successor of Allāh's Messenger ﷺ and Abū Bakr.' So I took over the property for two years and managed it in the same way as Allāh's Messenger ﷺ and Abū Bakr used to do. Then you both ('Alī and 'Abbās) came to me and asked for the same thing! (O 'Abbās!) You came to me to ask me for your share from nephew's property; and this ('Alī) came to me asking for his wife's share from her father's property, and I said to you both, 'If you wish, I will place it in your custody on condition that you both will manage it in the same way as Allāh's Messenger ﷺ and Abū Bakr did and as I have been doing since I took charge of managing it; otherwise, do not speak to me anymore about it.' Then you both said, 'Give it to us on that (condition).' So I gave it to you on that condition. Now I beseech you by Allāh, did I not give it to them on that condition?" The group (whom he had been addressing) replied, "Yes." 'Umar then addressed 'Abbās and 'Alī saying, "I beseech you both by Allāh, didn't I give you all that property on that condition?" They said, "Yes." 'Umar then said, "Are you now seeking a verdict from me other than that? By Him with Whose Permission the heaven and the earth exist, I will not give any verdict other than that till the Hour is established; and if you both are unable to manage this property, then you can hand it back to me, and I will be sufficient for it on your behalf." [See Vol. 4, Hadith No. 3094]