93/41. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 7197 — Public Trust and Gifts
The ruler calling his employees to account
Hadith About Public Trust and Gifts to Officials
Sahih Bukhari : 7197
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 7197
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي حُمَيْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَعْمَلَ ابْنَ الأُتَبِيَّةِ عَلَى صَدَقَاتِ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَحَاسَبَهُ قَالَ هَذَا الَّذِي لَكُمْ، وَهَذِهِ هَدِيَّةٌ أُهْدِيَتْ لِي. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَهَلاَّ جَلَسْتَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيكَ وَبَيْتِ أُمِّكَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَكَ هَدِيَّتُكَ، إِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقًا ". ثُمَّ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ وَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَسْتَعْمِلُ رِجَالاً مِنْكُمْ عَلَى أُمُورٍ مِمَّا وَلاَّنِي اللَّهُ، فَيَأْتِي أَحَدُكُمْ فَيَقُولُ هَذَا لَكُمْ وَهَذِهِ هَدِيَّةٌ أُهْدِيَتْ لِي فَهَلاَّ جَلَسَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيهِ وَبَيْتِ أُمِّهِ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُ هَدِيَّتُهُ إِنْ كَانَ صَادِقًا، فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يَأْخُذُ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا ـ قَالَ هِشَامٌ ـ بِغَيْرِ حَقِّهِ إِلاَّ جَاءَ اللَّهَ يَحْمِلُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، أَلاَ فَلأَعْرِفَنَّ مَا جَاءَ اللَّهَ رَجُلٌ بِبَعِيرٍ لَهُ رُغَاءٌ، أَوْ بِبَقَرَةٍ لَهَا خُوَارٌ، أَوْ شَاةٍ تَيْعَرُ ". ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ بَيَاضَ إِبْطَيْهِ " أَلاَ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ ".
Abu Humaid As-Sa'idi Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) employed Ibn Al-Utbiyya to collect Zakat from Bani Sulaim, and when he returned (with the money) to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) the Prophet (ﷺ) called him to account, and he said, "This (amount) is for you, and this was given to me as a present." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Why don't you stay at your father's house or your mother's house to see whether you will be given gifts or not, if you are telling the truth?"Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) stood up and addressed the people, and after glorifying and praising Allah, he said: Amma Ba'du (then after) I employ some men from among you for some job which Allah has placed in my charge, and then one of you comes to me and says, 'This (amount) is for you and this is a gift given to me.'Why doesn't he stay at the house of his father or the house of his mother and see whether he will be given gifts or not if he was telling the truth by Allah, none of you takes anything of it (i.e., Zakat) for himself (Hisham added: unlawfully) but he will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection carrying it on his neck! I do not want to see any of you carrying a grunting camel or a mooing cow or a bleating sheep on meeting Allah." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) raised both his hands till I saw the whiteness of his armpits, and said, "(No doubt)! Haven't I conveyed Allah's Message!"
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7197In-book reference : Book 93, Hadith 58USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 89, Hadith 305
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 7197
This hadith about public trust gives a clear warning to anyone handling public wealth. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم appointed Ibn Al-Utbiyya to collect Zakat. When he returned, he said that part of the collection was for the Muslims and part was a gift given to him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم challenged this claim by asking why he did not stay in his father or mother's house to see if such gifts would come to him there. He then addressed the people and warned that taking anything from this wealth unlawfully would be carried on the Day of Resurrection. The hadith strongly teaches accountability, honesty, and clean handling of Zakat and public duties.
What we learn from this hadith
- A public worker must not treat job-related gifts as personal property.
- Zakat collection requires honesty and clear accounting.
- Officials should be held accountable for what they receive.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم publicly warned against misuse of entrusted wealth.
