9/28. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1647 — Accept What Comes Without Asking
On Abstinence From Begging
Hadith About Accepting Gifts Without Asking
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1647
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1647
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ الطَّيَالِسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الأَشَجِّ، عَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ السَّاعِدِيِّ، قَالَ اسْتَعْمَلَنِي عُمَرُ - رضى الله عنه - عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغْتُ مِنْهَا وَأَدَّيْتُهَا إِلَيْهِ أَمَرَ لِي بِعُمَالَةٍ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّمَا عَمِلْتُ لِلَّهِ وَأَجْرِي عَلَى اللَّهِ . قَالَ خُذْ مَا أُعْطِيتَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ عَمِلْتُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَعَمَّلَنِي فَقُلْتُ مِثْلَ قَوْلِكَ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا أُعْطِيتَ شَيْئًا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُ فَكُلْ وَتَصَدَّقْ " .
Ibn al-Sa'idi Narrated from:
Umar employed me to collect the sadaqah. When I finished doing so and gave it to him, he ordered payment to be given to me. I said: I did only for Allah’s sake, and my reward will come from Allah. He said: Take what you are given, for I acted (as a collector) during the time of the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) and he assigned me a payment. Thereupon, I said the same kind of thing as you have said, to which Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said: When you are given something without asking for it, you should use it for your own purpose and as sadaqah.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1647In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 92English translation : Book 9, Hadith 1643
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1647
This Hadith about accepting gifts without asking deals with a worker who collected sadaqah. Ibn al-Saidi says Umar employed him to collect it. When the work was finished, Umar ordered payment for him. Ibn al-Saidi felt he had worked only for Allah and wanted his reward from Allah. Umar then shared that he had once said the same to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم when he was given payment for similar work. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told him that when he is given something without asking for it, he may use it for himself and give from it as sadaqah. The Hadith teaches that refusing pay is not the only way to be sincere.
What we learn from this hadith
- A person may receive what is given without asking for it.
- Sincerity for Allah can remain even when lawful payment is accepted.
- What is received can be used personally and also shared as sadaqah.
