12/37. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1045a — Accepting Wealth Without Greed
It is permissible to take without asking for it or hoping for it
Hadith About Accepting Gifts Without Greed or Begging
Sahih Muslim : 1045a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1045a
وَحَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، - رضى الله عنه - يَقُولُ قَدْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعْطِينِي الْعَطَاءَ فَأَقُولُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي . حَتَّى أَعْطَانِي مَرَّةً مَالاً فَقُلْتُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " خُذْهُ وَمَا جَاءَكَ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَالِ وَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ مُشْرِفٍ وَلاَ سَائِلٍ فَخُذْهُ وَمَا لاَ فَلاَ تُتْبِعْهُ نَفْسَكَ " .
Salim b. Abdullah b. 'Umar reported on the authority of his father ('Abdullah b. 'Umar) that he had heard 'Umar b. Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) saying: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave me a gift, but I said: Give it to one who needs it more than I. He gave me wealth for the second time but I said: Give it to one who needs it more than I. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Take out of this wealth which comes to you without your being avaricious and without begging, but in other circumstance's do not let your heart hanker after it.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1045aIn-book reference : Book 12, Hadith 142USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 5, Hadith 2272
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1045a
This hadith about accepting wealth without greed shows a balanced path. Umar b. Khattab said that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) gave him a gift, but he asked that it be given to someone more in need. This happened again. Then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) told him to take wealth that comes to him while he is not avaricious and not begging. But if wealth does not come in that way, he should not let his heart hanker after it. The teaching is not to reject every gift, nor to chase after wealth. It teaches a clean heart: accept what comes without greed or asking, and do not attach the heart to what has not come.
What we learn from this hadith
- A person may accept wealth that comes without begging.
- The hadith warns against an avaricious heart.
- One should not let the heart chase wealth that has not come.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) guided Umar to a balanced approach.
