Regarding The Imam Accepting Gifts From Idolaters

Narrated Abdullah al-Hawzani:

I met Bilal, the Mu'adhdhin of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Aleppo, and said: Bilal, tell me, what was the financial position of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?

He said: He had nothing. It was I who managed it on his behalf since the day Allah made him Prophet of Allah ﷺ until he died. When a Muslim man came to him and he found him naked, he ordered me (to clothe him). I would go, borrow (some money), and purchase a cloak for him. I would then clothe him and feed him.

A man from the polytheists met me and said: I am well off, Bilal. Do not borrow money from anyone except me. So I did accordingly. One day when I performed ablution and stood up to make call to prayer, the same polytheist came along with a body of merchants.

When he saw me, he said: O Abyssinian. I said: I am at your service. He met me with unpleasant looks and said harsh words to me. He asked me: Do you know how many days remain in the completion of this month? I replied: The time is near. He said: Only four days remain in the completion of this month. I shall then take that which is due from you (i.e. loan), and then shall return you to tend the sheep as you did before. I began to think in my mind what people think in their minds (on such occasions). When I offered the night prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned to his family. I sought permission from him and he gave me permission.

I said: Messenger of Allah, may my parents be sacrificed for you, the polytheist from whom I used to borrow money said to me such-and-such. Neither you nor I have anything to pay him for me, and he will disgrace me. So give me permission to run away to some of those tribes who have recently embraced Islam until Allah gives His Apostle ﷺ something with which he can pay (the debt) for me. So I came out and reached my house. I placed my sword, waterskin (or sheath), shoes and shield near my head. When dawn broke, I intended to be on my way.

All of a sudden I saw a man running towards me and calling: Bilal, return to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. So I went till I reached him. I found four mounts kneeling on the ground with loads on them. I sought permission.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: Be glad, Allah has made arrangements for the payment (of your debt). He then asked: Have you not seen the four mounts kneeling on the ground?

I replied: Yes. He said: You may have these mounts and what they have on them. There are clothes and food on them, presented to me by the ruler of Fadak. Take them away and pay off your debt. I did so.

He then mentioned the rest of the tradition. I then went to the mosque and found that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting there. I greeted him.

He asked: What benefit did you have from your property? I replied: Allah Most High paid everything which was due from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Nothing remains now.

He asked: Did anything remain (from that property)? I said: Yes. He said: Look, if you can give me some comfort from it, for I shall not visit any member of my family until you give me some comfort from it. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ offered the night prayer, he called me and said: What is the position of that which you had with you (i.e. property)?

I said: I still have it, no one came to me. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed the night in the mosque.

He then narrated the rest of the tradition. Next day when he offered the night prayer, he called me and asked: What is the position of that which you had (i.e. the rest of the property)?

I replied: Allah has given you comfort from it, Messenger of Allah. He said: Allah is Most Great, and praised Allah, fearing lest he should die while it was with him. I then followed him until he came to his wives and greeted each one of them and finally he came to his place where he had to pass the night. This is all for which you asked me.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو تَوْبَةَ الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَلاَّمٍ - عَنْ زَيْدٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا سَلاَّمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ الْهَوْزَنِيُّ، قَالَ لَقِيتُ بِلاَلاً مُؤَذِّنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِحَلَبَ فَقُلْتُ يَا بِلاَلُ حَدِّثْنِي كَيْفَ كَانَتْ نَفَقَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَا كَانَ لَهُ شَىْءٌ كُنْتُ أَنَا الَّذِي أَلِي ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ مُنْذُ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى أَنْ تُوُفِّيَ وَكَانَ إِذَا أَتَاهُ الإِنْسَانُ مُسْلِمًا فَرَآهُ عَارِيًا يَأْمُرُنِي فَأَنْطَلِقُ فَأَسْتَقْرِضُ فَأَشْتَرِي لَهُ الْبُرْدَةَ فَأَكْسُوهُ وَأُطْعِمُهُ حَتَّى اعْتَرَضَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَقَالَ يَا بِلاَلُ إِنَّ عِنْدِي سَعَةً فَلاَ تَسْتَقْرِضْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ مِنِّي فَفَعَلْتُ فَلَمَّا أَنْ كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ تَوَضَّأْتُ ثُمَّ قُمْتُ لأُؤَذِّنَ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَإِذَا الْمُشْرِكُ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ فِي عِصَابَةٍ مِنَ التُّجَّارِ فَلَمَّا أَنْ رَآنِي قَالَ يَا حَبَشِيُّ . قُلْتُ يَا لَبَّاهُ . فَتَجَهَّمَنِي وَقَالَ لِي قَوْلاً غَلِيظًا وَقَالَ لِي أَتَدْرِي كَمْ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ الشَّهْرِ قَالَ قُلْتُ قَرِيبٌ . قَالَ إِنَّمَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ أَرْبَعٌ فَآخُذُكَ بِالَّذِي عَلَيْكَ فَأَرُدُّكَ تَرْعَى الْغَنَمَ كَمَا كُنْتَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَأَخَذَ فِي نَفْسِي مَا يَأْخُذُ فِي أَنْفُسِ النَّاسِ حَتَّى إِذَا صَلَّيْتُ الْعَتَمَةَ رَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَذِنَ لِي فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي إِنَّ الْمُشْرِكَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَتَدَيَّنُ مِنْهُ قَالَ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا وَلَيْسَ عِنْدَكَ مَا تَقْضِي عَنِّي وَلاَ عِنْدِي وَهُوَ فَاضِحِي فَأْذَنْ لِي أَنْ آبِقَ إِلَى بَعْضِ هَؤُلاَءِ الأَحْيَاءِ الَّذِينَ قَدْ أَسْلَمُوا حَتَّى يَرْزُقَ اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ ﷺ مَا يَقْضِي عَنِّي فَخَرَجْتُ حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيْتُ مَنْزِلِي فَجَعَلْتُ سَيْفِي وَجِرَابِي وَنَعْلِي وَمِجَنِّي عِنْدَ رَأْسِي حَتَّى إِذَا انْشَقَّ عَمُودُ الصُّبْحِ الأَوَّلِ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَنْطَلِقَ فَإِذَا إِنْسَانٌ يَسْعَى يَدْعُو يَا بِلاَلُ أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَانْطَلَقْتُ حَتَّى أَتَيْتُهُ فَإِذَا أَرْبَعُ رَكَائِبَ مُنَاخَاتٍ عَلَيْهِنَّ أَحْمَالُهُنَّ فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " أَبْشِرْ فَقَدْ جَاءَكَ اللَّهُ بِقَضَائِكَ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَلَمْ تَرَ الرَّكَائِبَ الْمُنَاخَاتِ الأَرْبَعَ " . فَقُلْتُ بَلَى . فَقَالَ " إِنَّ لَكَ رِقَابَهُنَّ وَمَا عَلَيْهِنَّ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْهِنَّ كِسْوَةً وَطَعَامًا أَهْدَاهُنَّ إِلَىَّ عَظِيمُ فَدَكَ فَاقْبِضْهُنَّ وَاقْضِ دَيْنَكَ " . فَفَعَلْتُ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْتُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَاعِدٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ " مَا فَعَلَ مَا قِبَلَكَ " . قُلْتُ قَدْ قَضَى اللَّهُ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ كَانَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ شَىْءٌ . قَالَ " أَفَضَلَ شَىْءٌ " . قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ " انْظُرْ أَنْ تُرِيحَنِي مِنْهُ فَإِنِّي لَسْتُ بِدَاخِلٍ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِي حَتَّى تُرِيحَنِي مِنْهُ " . فَلَمَّا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْعَتَمَةَ دَعَانِي فَقَالَ " مَا فَعَلَ الَّذِي قِبَلَكَ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ هُوَ مَعِي لَمْ يَأْتِنَا أَحَدٌ . فَبَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَقَصَّ الْحَدِيثَ حَتَّى إِذَا صَلَّى الْعَتَمَةَ - يَعْنِي مِنَ الْغَدِ - دَعَانِي قَالَ " مَا فَعَلَ الَّذِي قِبَلَكَ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ قَدْ أَرَاحَكَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . فَكَبَّرَ وَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ شَفَقًا مِنْ أَنْ يُدْرِكَهُ الْمَوْتُ وَعِنْدَهُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ اتَّبَعْتُهُ حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَزْوَاجَهُ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى امْرَأَةٍ امْرَأَةٍ حَتَّى أَتَى مَبِيتَهُ فَهَذَا الَّذِي سَأَلْتَنِي عَنْهُ .

The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Mu’awiyah through a different chain of narrators to the same effect as narrated by Abu Taubah. This version has “I have nothing to pay from me. The Apostle of Allah ﷺ thereupon kept silence and this displeased me.”

حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، بِمَعْنَى إِسْنَادِ أَبِي تَوْبَةَ وَحَدِيثِهِ قَالَ عِنْدَ قَوْلِهِ " مَا يَقْضِي عَنِّي " . فَسَكَتَ عَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاغْتَمَزْتُهَا .