English translation
3094. Narrated Mālik bin Aūs: While I was at home, the sun rose high and it got hot. Suddenly the messenger of 'Umar bin Al-Khaṭṭāb came to me and said, "The chief of the believers has sent for you." So, I went along with him till I entered the place where 'Umar was sitting on a bedstead made of date-palm leaves and covered with no mattress, and he was leaning over a leather pillow. I greeted him and sat down. He said, "O Mālik! Some persons of your people who have families came to me and I have ordered that a gift should be given to them, so take it and distribute it among them." I said, "O chief of the believers! I wish that you order someone else to do it." He said, "O man! Take it." While I was sitting there with him, his doorman Yarfā came saying, "Uthmān, 'Abdur-Raḥmān bin 'Aūf, Az-Zubair and Sa'd bin Abī Waqqāš are asking your permission (to see you); may I admit them?" 'Umar said, "Yes." So, they were admitted and they came in and greeted (him) and sat down. After a while Yarfā came again and said, "May I admit 'Alī and 'Abbās?" 'Umar said, "Yes". So, they were admitted and they came in and greeted (him) and sat down. Then 'Abbās said, "O chief of the believers! Judge between me and this (i.e., 'Alī)." They had a dispute regarding the property of Banī An-Naḏir which Allāh had given to His Messenger ﷺ as Fai (booty). The group (i.e., 'Uthmān and his companions) said, "O chief of the believers! Judge between them and relieve both of them from each other." 'Umar said, "Be patient! I beseech you by Allāh by Whose Permission the heaven and the earth exist, do you know that Allāh's Messenger ﷺ said, 'Our (i.e., Prophets') property will not be inherited, and whatever we leave, is Sadaqa (to be used for charity),' and Allāh's Messenger ﷺ meant himself (by saying "we")?" The group said, "He said so." 'Umar then turned to 'Alī and 'Abbās and said, "I beseech you by Allāh, do you know that Allāh's Messenger ﷺ said so?" They replied, "He said so." 'Umar then said, "So, I will talk to you about this matter. Allāh bestowed on His Messenger ﷺ with a special favour of something of this Fai which he gave to nobody else." Umar then recited the Holy Verse: "And what Allāh gave as booty Fai to His Messenger ﷺ (Muḥammad ﷺ) from them.. (up to).. And Allāh is Able to do all things." (V.59:6) Umar added, "So, this property was especially given to Allāh's Messenger ﷺ. But, by Allāh, neither did he take possession of it and leave you, nor did he favour himself with it to your exclusion, but he gave it to all of you and distributed it amongst you till this property remained out of it. Allāh's Messenger ﷺ used to meet the yearly expenses of his family out of this property, and used to keep the rest of its revenue to be spent in Allāh's Cause. Allāh's Messenger ﷺ kept on doing this during all his lifetime. I ask you by Allāh, do you know this?" They replied in the affirmative. Umar then said to 'Ali and 'Abbās. "I ask you by Allāh, do you know this?" Umar added, "When Allāh took His Prophet ﷺ unto Him, 'Abū Bakr said, 'I am the successor of Allāh's Messenger ﷺ, so, 'Abū Bakr took over that property and managed it in the same way as Allāh's Messenger ﷺ used to do, and Allāh knows that he was true, pious, and rightly-guided, and he was a follower of what was right. Then Allāh took 'Abū Bakr unto Him and I became 'Abū Bakr's successor. And I kept that property in my possession for the first two years of my caliphate, managing it in the same way as Allāh's Messenger ﷺ used to do and as 'Abū Bakr used to do, and Allāh knows that I have been true, pious, rightly-guided, and a follower of what is right. Now you both (i.e., 'Ali and 'Abbās) came to talk to me, bearing the same claim and presenting the same case; you, 'Abbās, came to me asking for your share from your nephew's property, and this man, (i.e., 'Alī), came to me asking for his wife's share from her father's property. I told you both that Allāh's Messenger ﷺ said, 'Our (Prophets') properties are not to be inherited, but what we leave is Sadaqa (to be used for charity).' When I thought it right that I should hand over this property to you, I said to you, 'I am ready to hand over this property to you if you wish, on the condition that you would take Allāh's Pledge and Convention that you would manage it in the same way as Allāh's Messenger ﷺ used to do, and as Abū Bakr used to do and as I have done since I was incharge of it.' So, both of you said (to me), 'Hand it over to us,' and on that condition I handed it over to you. So, I ask you by Allāh, did I hand it over to them on this condition?' The group said, "Yes." Then 'Umar faced 'Alī and 'Abbās saying, "I ask you by Allāh, did I hand it over to you on this condition?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Do you want now to give a different decision? By Allāh, with Whose Leave both the heaven and the earth exist, I will never give any decision other than that (I have already given). And if you are unable to manage it, then return it to me, and I will do the job on your behalf."