38/1. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4138 — Not Even a Camel Hair Beyond the Khumus
The Book Of The Distribution Of Al-Fay'
Public Wealth Hadith: Not Even a Camel Hair Beyond the Khumus
Sunan an-Nasai : 4138
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4138
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَحْبُوبٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُوسَى - قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ، - وَهُوَ الْفَزَارِيُّ - عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ مُوسَى، عَنْ مَكْحُولٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلاَّمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ الْبَاهِلِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ وَبَرَةً مِنْ جَنْبِ بَعِيرٍ فَقَالَ " يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَحِلُّ لِي مِمَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ قَدْرَ هَذِهِ إِلاَّ الْخُمُسُ وَالْخُمُسُ مَرْدُودٌ عَلَيْكُمْ " . قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ اسْمُ أَبِي سَلاَّمٍ مَمْطُورٌ وَهُوَ حَبَشِيٌّ وَاسْمُ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ صُدَىُّ بْنُ عَجْلاَنَ وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ .
'Ubadah bin As-Samit Narrated from:
On the day of Hunain the Messenger of Allah took a hair from the side of a camel and said: 'O you people, it is not permissible for me to take even the equivalent of this from the Fay' that Allah has bestowed upon you, except the Khumus, and the Khumus will come back to you. (Sahih) Abu 'Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasa'i) said: Abu Sallam's name is Mamtur and he is Ethiopian, and Abu Umamah's name is Sudai bin 'Ajlan.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4138In-book reference : Book 38, Hadith 6English translation : Vol. 5, Book 38, Hadith 4143
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4138
This public wealth hadith uses a very small object to make the point clear. On the day of Hunain, the Messenger of Allah took a hair from the side of a camel and told the people that it was not permissible for him to take even that amount from the Fay Allah had bestowed on them, except for the Khumus. He then said that the Khumus would come back to them. The image of a single camel hair shows how exact the statement is: nothing outside the allowed share was claimed, even if it seemed tiny. The narration teaches careful handling of shared wealth and openly tells the people what may be taken and where it returns.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not take from shared wealth beyond the allowed share.
- Even a very small amount matters in financial trust.
- The Prophet openly explained his limit regarding the Fay.
- The Khumus was described as returning to the people.
