Narrated Ghalib al-Qattan:

Ghalib quoted a man who stated on the authority of his father that his grandfather reported: They lived at one of the springs. When Islam reached them, the master of the spring offered his people one hundred camels if they embraced Islam. So they embraced Islam, and he distributed the camels among them. But it occurred to him that he should take the camels back from them.

He sent his son to the Prophet ﷺ and said to him: Go to the Prophet ﷺ and tell him: My father extends his greetings to you. He asked his people to give them one hundred camels if they embraced Islam, and they embraced Islam. He divided the camels among them. But it occurred to him then that he should withdraw his camels from them. Is he more entitled to them or we? If he says: Yes or no, then tell him: My father is an old man, and he is the chief of the people living at the water. He has requested you to make me chief after him.

He came to him and said: My father has extended his greetings to you. He replied: On you and you father be peace. He said: My father asked his people to give them one hundred camels if they embraced Islam. So they embraced Islam, and their belief in Islam is good. Then it occurred to him that he should take his camels back from them. Is he more entitled to them or are they?

He said: If he likes to give them the camels, he may give them; and if he likes to take them back, he is more entitled to them than his people. If they embraced Islam, then for them is their Islam. If they do not embrace Islam, they will be fought against in the cause of Islam.

He said: My father is an old man; he is the chief of the people living at the spring. He has asked you to appoint me chief after him.

He replied: The office of a chief is necessary, for people must have chiefs, but the chiefs will go to Hell.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ، حَدَّثَنَا غَالِبٌ الْقَطَّانُ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى مَنْهَلٍ مِنَ الْمَنَاهِلِ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَهُمُ الإِسْلاَمُ جَعَلَ صَاحِبُ الْمَاءِ لِقَوْمِهِ مِائَةً مِنَ الإِبِلِ عَلَى أَنْ يُسْلِمُوا فَأَسْلَمُوا وَقَسَمَ الإِبِلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يَرْتَجِعَهَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَرْسَلَ ابْنَهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ لَهُ ائْتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقُلْ لَهُ إِنَّ أَبِي يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلاَمَ وَإِنَّهُ جَعَلَ لِقَوْمِهِ مِائَةً مِنَ الإِبِلِ عَلَى أَنْ يُسْلِمُوا فَأَسْلَمُوا وَقَسَمَ الإِبِلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يَرْتَجِعَهَا مِنْهُمْ أَفَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا أَمْ هُمْ فَإِنْ قَالَ لَكَ نَعَمْ أَوْ لاَ فَقُلْ لَهُ إِنَّ أَبِي شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ وَهُوَ عَرِيفُ الْمَاءِ وَإِنَّهُ يَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِيَ الْعِرَافَةَ بَعْدَهُ . فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَبِي يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلاَمَ . فَقَالَ " وَعَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى أَبِيكَ السَّلاَمُ " . فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَبِي جَعَلَ لِقَوْمِهِ مِائَةً مِنَ الإِبِلِ عَلَى أَنْ يُسْلِمُوا فَأَسْلَمُوا وَحَسُنَ إِسْلاَمُهُمْ ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يَرْتَجِعَهَا مِنْهُمْ أَفَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا أَمْ هُمْ فَقَالَ " إِنْ بَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يُسْلِمَهَا لَهُمْ فَلْيُسْلِمْهَا وَإِنْ بَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يَرْتَجِعَهَا فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا مِنْهُمْ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَسْلَمُوا فَلَهُمْ إِسْلاَمُهُمْ وَإِنْ لَمْ يُسْلِمُوا قُوتِلُوا عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ " . فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَبِي شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ وَهُوَ عَرِيفُ الْمَاءِ وَإِنَّهُ يَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِيَ الْعِرَافَةَ بَعْدَهُ . فَقَالَ " إِنَّ الْعِرَافَةَ حَقٌّ وَلاَ بُدَّ لِلنَّاسِ مِنَ الْعُرَفَاءِ وَلَكِنَّ الْعُرَفَاءَ فِي النَّارِ " .