9/12. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1600 — Honey Tithe and Protected Land
Zakat On Honey
Hadith About Honey Tithe and the Valley of Salabah
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1600
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1600
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي شُعَيْبٍ الْحَرَّانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ أَعْيَنَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْحَارِثِ الْمِصْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ جَاءَ هِلاَلٌ - أَحَدُ بَنِي مُتْعَانَ - إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِعُشُورِ نَحْلٍ لَهُ وَكَانَ سَأَلَهُ أَنْ يَحْمِيَ لَهُ وَادِيًا يُقَالُ لَهُ سَلَبَةُ فَحَمَى لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَلِكَ الْوَادِي فَلَمَّا وُلِّيَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ - رضى الله عنه - كَتَبَ سُفْيَانُ بْنُ وَهْبٍ إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَكَتَبَ عُمَرُ رضى الله عنه إِنْ أَدَّى إِلَيْكَ مَا كَانَ يُؤَدِّي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ عُشُورِ نَحْلِهِ لَهُ فَاحْمِ لَهُ سَلَبَةَ وَإِلاَّ فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ ذُبَابُ غَيْثٍ يَأْكُلُهُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ .
'Amr bin Shu'aib Narrated from:
Hilal, a man from the tribe of Banu Mat'an brought a tenth of honey which he possessed in beehives to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He asked him (the apostle of Allah) to give the wood known as Salabah as a protected (or restricted) land. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave him that wood as a protected land.When Umar ibn al-Khattab succeeded, Sufyan ibn Wahb wrote to Umar asking him about this wood. Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to him: If he (Hilal) pays you the tithe on honey what he used to pay to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), leave the protected land of Salabah in his possession; otherwise those bees are like those of any wood; anyone can take the honey as he likes.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1600In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 45English translation : Book 9, Hadith 1596
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1600
This Hadith tells the story of Hilal from Banu Mat'an, who brought a tenth of honey from his beehives to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. He also asked for a wood or valley called Salabah to be protected for him, and the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم granted it. Later, during the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab, Sufyan ibn Wahb asked about that protected land. Umar wrote that if Hilal continued paying the tithe on honey as he used to pay to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, then Salabah should remain protected for him. If not, the bees would be like those of any open wood. The core topic is honey tithe and protected land.
What we learn from this hadith
- Hilal brought a tenth of honey from his beehives.
- The protected land was tied to continuing the payment mentioned in the report.
- Umar referred back to what had been paid during the Prophet’s time.
