Inheritance of Prophets
Total Hadiths 41
What Do Hadiths Say About the Inheritance of Prophets?
According to these authentic prophetic traditions, the property and wealth left behind by prophets cannot be inherited by their family members or heirs. Instead, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) explicitly stated that whatever they leave behind must be spent entirely on charity. The only items excluded from this rule are the necessary living provisions for his wives and the maintenance wages for his workers or servants. Not even a single coin is to be distributed among relatives. Islamic history shows that his close companions and successors, Abu Bakr and Umar, strictly maintained this practice. They managed the prophetic estate as a public trust for charity, upholding the rule even when family members inquired about their shares.
حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْعِجْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ آدَمَ - حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَبَعْضِ، وَلَدِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَسْلَمَةَ قَالُوا بَقِيَتْ بَقِيَّةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ خَيْبَرَ تَحَصَّنُوا فَسَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يَحْقِنَ دِمَاءَهُمْ وَيُسَيِّرَهُمْ فَفَعَلَ فَسَمِعَ بِذَلِكَ أَهْلُ فَدَكَ فَنَزَلُوا عَلَى مِثْلِ ذَلِكَ فَكَانَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَاصَّةً لأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُوجِفْ عَلَيْهَا بِخَيْلٍ وَلاَ رِكَابٍ .
Narrated Abdullah ibn AbuBakr: Abdullah ibn AbuBakr and some children of Muhammad ibn Maslamah said: There remained some people of Khaybar and they confined themselves to the fortresses. They asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to protect their lives and let them go. He did so. The people of Fadak heard this; they also adopted a similar way. (Fadak) was, therefore, exclusively reserved for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), for it was not captured by the expedition of cavalry and camelry.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 3016In-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 89English translation : Book 19, Hadith 3010
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ يَقْتَسِمُ وَرَثَتِي دِينَارًا، مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدَ نَفَقَةِ نِسَائِي وَمَئُونَةِ عَامِلِي فَهْوَ صَدَقَةٌ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "My heirs should not take even a single Dinar (i.e. anything from my property), and whatever I leave, excluding the expenditure of my wives and my laborers, will be Sadaqa (i.e. be used for charity)."'
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3096In-book reference : Book 57, Hadith 5USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 53, Hadith 328
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ يَقْتَسِمُ وَرَثَتِي دِينَارًا، مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدَ نَفَقَةِ نِسَائِي وَمُؤْنَةِ عَامِلِي فَهْوَ صَدَقَةٌ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Not even a single Dinar of my property should be distributed (after my deaths to my inheritors, but whatever I leave excluding the provision for my wives and my servants, should be spent in charity."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6729In-book reference : Book 85, Hadith 6USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 80, Hadith 721
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تَقْتَسِمُ وَرَثَتِي دِينَارًا مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدَ نَفَقَةِ نِسَائِي وَمُؤْنَةِ عَامِلِي فَهُوَ صَدَقَةٌ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ " مُؤْنَةِ عَامِلِي " . يَعْنِي أَكَرَةَ الأَرْضِ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: Do not distribute dinars among my heirs: Whatever I left after contribution to my wives and provisions for my governor is sadaqah (alms). Abu Dawud said: 'Amil means the workers or laborers on the land (i.e. peasants).
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 2974In-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 47English translation : Book 19, Hadith 2968
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ يَقْتَسِمُ وَرَثَتِي دِيِنَارًا مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدَ نَفَقَةِ نِسَائِي وَمَئُونَةِ عَامِلِي فَهُوَ صَدَقَةٌ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: My heirs cannot share even a dinar (from my legacy); what I leave behind after paving maintenance allowance to my wives and remuneration to my manager is (to go in) charity.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1760aIn-book reference : Book 32, Hadith 64USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 19, Hadith 4355
وَحَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ أَبِي خَلَفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةٌ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: " We do not have any heirs; what we leave behind is a charitable endowment."
[1] Âl 'Imrân 3:169.Reference : Sahih Muslim 1761In-book reference : Book 32, Hadith 66USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 19, Hadith 4357
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ جَاءَتْ فَاطِمَةُ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَقَالَتْ مَنْ يَرِثُكَ قَالَ أَهْلِي وَوَلَدِي . قَالَتْ فَمَا لِي لاَ أَرِثُ أَبِي فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لاَ نُورَثُ " . وَلَكِنِّي أَعُولُ مَنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعُولُهُ وَأُنْفِقُ عَلَى مَنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عُمَرَ وَطَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ وَعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ وَسَعْدٍ وَعَائِشَةَ . وَحَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ إِنَّمَا أَسْنَدَهُ حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ وَعَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ . وَسَأَلْتُ مُحَمَّدًا عَنْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فَقَالَ لاَ أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا رَوَاهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ إِلاَّ حَمَّادَ بْنَ سَلَمَةَ . وَرَوَى عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ نَحْوَ رِوَايَةِ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Fatimah Came To Abu Bakr And Said: 'Who Will Inherit From You?' He Said: 'My Family And My Son.' She Said: 'So What About Me? I Do Not Get Inheritance From My Father?' So Abu Bakr Said: 'I Heard The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Say: 'We Are Not Inherited From' But I Support Those Whom The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Used To Support, And I Spend Upon Those Whom The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Spent Upon."[Abu 'Eisa Said:] There Are Narrations On This Topic From 'Umar, Talhah, Az-Zubair, 'Abdur-Rahman Bin 'Awf, Sa'D And 'Aishah. The Hadith Of Abu Hurairah Is Hasan Gharib From This Route. It Is Only Reported With A Chain By Hammad Bin Salamah And 'Abdul Wahhab Bin 'Ata, From Muhammad Bin 'Amr, From Abu Salamah, From Abu Hurairah.I Asked Muhammad About This Hadith And He Said: "No One Is Known To Have Reported It From Muhammad Bin 'Amr, From Abu Salamah, From Abu Hurairah Except From Hammad Bin Salamah. 'Abdul Wahhab Bin 'Ata Reported It From Muhammad Bib 'Amr, From Abu Salamah, And From Abu Hurairah And It Is Similar To The Narration Of Hammad Bin Salamah. And This Hadith Has Been Reported Through Other Routes From Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, From The Prophet (ﷺ).
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1608In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 71English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1608
حَدَّثَنَا بِذَلِكَ، عَلِيُّ بْنُ عِيسَى الْبَغْدَادِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ، جَاءَتْ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ رضى الله عنهما تَسْأَلُ مِيرَاثَهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالاَ سَمِعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنِّي لاَ أُورَثُ " . قَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أُكَلِّمُكُمَا أَبَدًا . فَمَاتَتْ وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُهُمَا . قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ عِيسَى مَعْنَى لاَ أُكَلِّمُكُمَا تَعْنِي فِي هَذَا الْمِيرَاثِ أَبَدًا أَنْتُمَا صَادِقَانِ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Fatimah Came To Abu Bakr And 'Umar May Allah Be Pleased With Them Both, To Ask Them About Her Inheritance From The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ). They Said: "We Heard The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Say: 'I Am Not Inherited From.'" So She Said: 'By Allah! I Will Never Talk To You Two Again.' So She Died Having Not Talked To Them." 'Ali Bin 'Eisa Said: "The Meaning Of Not Speaking To You Two Is: 'Never Again Regarding This Inheritance, Because You Two Are Truthful.'"
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1609In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 72English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1609
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ ـ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ ـ ابْنَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَأَلَتْ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقَ بَعْدَ وَفَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يَقْسِمَ لَهَا مِيرَاثَهَا، مَا تَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِمَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ. فَقَالَ لَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةٌ ". فَغَضِبَتْ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَهَجَرَتْ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، فَلَمْ تَزَلْ مُهَاجِرَتَهُ حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَتْ وَعَاشَتْ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ. قَالَتْ وَكَانَتْ فَاطِمَةُ تَسْأَلُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ نَصِيبَهَا مِمَّا تَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ خَيْبَرَ وَفَدَكٍ وَصَدَقَتِهِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، فَأَبَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَيْهَا ذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ لَسْتُ تَارِكًا شَيْئًا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعْمَلُ بِهِ إِلاَّ عَمِلْتُ بِهِ، فَإِنِّي أَخْشَى إِنْ تَرَكْتُ شَيْئًا مِنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ أَزِيغَ. فَأَمَّا صَدَقَتُهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَدَفَعَهَا عُمَرُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ وَعَبَّاسٍ، فَأَمَّا خَيْبَرُ وَفَدَكٌ فَأَمْسَكَهَا عُمَرُ وَقَالَ هُمَا صَدَقَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَتَا لِحُقُوقِهِ الَّتِي تَعْرُوهُ وَنَوَائِبِهِ، وَأَمْرُهُمَا إِلَى مَنْ وَلِيَ الأَمْرَ. قَالَ فَهُمَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْيَوْمِ. قَالَ أَبُو عَبْد اللَّهِ اعْتَرَاكَ افْتَعَلْتَ مِنْ عَرَوْتُهُ فَأَصَبْتُهُ وَمِنْهُ يَعْرُوهُ وَاعْتَرَانِي
A'isha Narrated from:
After the death of Allah 's Apostle Fatima the daughter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked Abu Bakr As-Siddiq to give her, her share of inheritance from what Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had left of the Fai (i.e. booty gained without fighting) which Allah had given him. Abu Bakr said to her, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Our property will not be inherited, whatever we (i.e. prophets) leave is Sadaqa (to be used for charity)."Fatima, the daughter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got angry and stopped speaking to Abu Bakr, and continued assuming that attitude till she died. Fatima remained alive for six months after the death of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). She used to ask Abu Bakr for her share from the property of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) which he left at Khaibar, and Fadak, and his property at Medina (devoted for charity). Abu Bakr refused to give her that property and said, "I will not leave anything Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to do, because I am afraid that if I left something from the Prophet's tradition, then I would go astray."(Later on) `Umar gave the Prophet's property (of Sadaqa) at Medina to `Ali and `Abbas, but he withheld the properties of Khaibar and Fadak in his custody and said, "These two properties are the Sadaqa which Allah's Apostle used to use for his expenditures and urgent needs. Now their management is to be entrusted to the ruler." (Az-Zuhri said, "They have been managed in this way till today.")
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3092, 3093In-book reference : Book 57, Hadith 2USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 53, Hadith 325
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ ـ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ ـ ابْنَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَأَلَتْ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقَ بَعْدَ وَفَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يَقْسِمَ لَهَا مِيرَاثَهَا، مَا تَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِمَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ. فَقَالَ لَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةٌ ". فَغَضِبَتْ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَهَجَرَتْ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، فَلَمْ تَزَلْ مُهَاجِرَتَهُ حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَتْ وَعَاشَتْ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ. قَالَتْ وَكَانَتْ فَاطِمَةُ تَسْأَلُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ نَصِيبَهَا مِمَّا تَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ خَيْبَرَ وَفَدَكٍ وَصَدَقَتِهِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، فَأَبَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَيْهَا ذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ لَسْتُ تَارِكًا شَيْئًا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعْمَلُ بِهِ إِلاَّ عَمِلْتُ بِهِ، فَإِنِّي أَخْشَى إِنْ تَرَكْتُ شَيْئًا مِنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ أَزِيغَ. فَأَمَّا صَدَقَتُهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَدَفَعَهَا عُمَرُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ وَعَبَّاسٍ، فَأَمَّا خَيْبَرُ وَفَدَكٌ فَأَمْسَكَهَا عُمَرُ وَقَالَ هُمَا صَدَقَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَتَا لِحُقُوقِهِ الَّتِي تَعْرُوهُ وَنَوَائِبِهِ، وَأَمْرُهُمَا إِلَى مَنْ وَلِيَ الأَمْرَ. قَالَ فَهُمَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْيَوْمِ. قَالَ أَبُو عَبْد اللَّهِ اعْتَرَاكَ افْتَعَلْتَ مِنْ عَرَوْتُهُ فَأَصَبْتُهُ وَمِنْهُ يَعْرُوهُ وَاعْتَرَانِي
A'isha Narrated from:
After the death of Allah 's Apostle Fatima the daughter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked Abu Bakr As-Siddiq to give her, her share of inheritance from what Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had left of the Fai (i.e. booty gained without fighting) which Allah had given him. Abu Bakr said to her, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Our property will not be inherited, whatever we (i.e. prophets) leave is Sadaqa (to be used for charity)."Fatima, the daughter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got angry and stopped speaking to Abu Bakr, and continued assuming that attitude till she died. Fatima remained alive for six months after the death of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). She used to ask Abu Bakr for her share from the property of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) which he left at Khaibar, and Fadak, and his property at Medina (devoted for charity). Abu Bakr refused to give her that property and said, "I will not leave anything Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to do, because I am afraid that if I left something from the Prophet's tradition, then I would go astray."(Later on) `Umar gave the Prophet's property (of Sadaqa) at Medina to `Ali and `Abbas, but he withheld the properties of Khaibar and Fadak in his custody and said, "These two properties are the Sadaqa which Allah's Apostle used to use for his expenditures and urgent needs. Now their management is to be entrusted to the ruler." (Az-Zuhri said, "They have been managed in this way till today.")
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3092, 3093In-book reference : Book 57, Hadith 2USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 53, Hadith 325
