The words of the Prophet ﷺ: "We (Prophets) have no heirs and whatever we leave behind is charity."

It is narrated on the authority of 'A'isha who said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away, his wives made up their minds to send 'Uthman b. 'Affan (as their spokesman) to Abu Bakr to demand from him their share from the legacy of Prophet ﷺ. (At this), A'isha said to them: Hasn't the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:" We (Prophets) do not have any heirs;
what we leave behind is (to be given in) charity"?

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ إِنَّ أَزْوَاجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ حِينَ تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرَدْنَ أَنْ يَبْعَثْنَ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ عَفَّانَ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَيَسْأَلْنَهُ مِيرَاثَهُنَّ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ لَهُنَّ أَلَيْسَ قَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " لاَ نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا فَهُوَ صَدَقَةٌ " .

It is narrated on the authority of Urwa b. Zubair who narrated from A'isha that she informed him that Fatima, daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, sent someone to Abu Bakr to demand from him her share of the legacy left by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from what Allah had bestowed upon him at Medina and Fadak and what was left from one-filth of the income (annually received) from Khaibar. Abu Bakr said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:" We (prophets) do not have any heirs;
what we leave behind is (to be given in) charity." The household of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ will live on the income from these properties, but, by Allah, I will not change the charity of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from the condition in which it was in his own time. I will do the same with it as the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upun him) himself used to do. So Abu Bakr refused to hand over anything from it to Fatima who got angry with Abu Bakr for this reason. She forsook him and did not talk to him until the end of her life. She lived for six months after the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When she died, her husband. 'Ali b. Abu Talib, buried her at night. He did not inform Abu Bakr about her death and offered the funeral prayer over her himself. During the lifetime of Fatima, 'All received (special) regard from the people. After she had died, he felt estrangement in the faces of the people towards him. So he sought to make peace with Abu Bakr and offer his allegiance to him. He had not yet owed allegiance to him as Caliph during these months. He sent a person to Abu Bakr requesting him to visit him unaccompanied by anyone (disapproving the presence of Umar). 'Umar said to Abu Bakr: BY Allah, you will not visit them alone. Abu Bakr said: What will they do to me? By Allah, I will visit them. And he did pay them a visit alone. 'All recited Tashahhud (as it is done in the beginning of a religious sermon) ;
then said: We recognise your moral excellence and what Allah has bestowed upon you. We do not envy the favour (i. e. the Catiphate) which Allah nas conferred upon you;
but you have done it (assumed the position of Caliph) alone (without consulting us), and we thought we had a right (to be consulted) on account of our kinship with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He continued to talk to Abu Bakr (in this vein) until the latter's eyes welled up with tears. Then Abd Bakr spoke and said: By Allah, in Whose Hand is my life, the kinship of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is dearer to me than the kinship of my own people. As regards the dispute that has arisen between you and me about these properties, I have not deviated from the right course and I have not given up doing about them what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to do. So 'Ali said to Abu Bakr: This aftetnoon is (fixed) for (swearing) allegiance (to you). So when Abu Bakr had finished his Zuhr prayer, he ascended the pulpit and recited Tashahhud, and described the status of 'Ali, his delay in swearing allegiance and the excuse which lie had offered to him (for this delay). (After this) he asked for God's forgiveness. Then 'Ali b. Abu Talib recited the Tashahhud. extolled the merits of Abu Bakr and (said that) his action was nott prompted by any jealousy of Abu Bakr on his part or his refusal to accept the high position which Allah had conferred upon him, (adding: ) But we were of the opinion that we should have a share in the government, but the matter had been decided without taking us into confidence, and this displeased us. (Hence the delay in offering allegiance. The Muslims were pleased with this (explanation) and they said: You have done the right thing. The Muslims were (again) favourably inclined to 'Ali since he adopted the proper course of action.

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا حُجَيْنٌ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّهَا أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ تَسْأَلُهُ مِيرَاثَهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِمَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَفَدَكٍ وَمَا بَقِيَ مِنْ خُمْسِ خَيْبَرَ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ " لاَ نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةٌ إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ - ﷺ - فِي هَذَا الْمَالِ " . وَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لاَ أُغَيِّرُ شَيْئًا مِنْ صَدَقَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ حَالِهَا الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهَا فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلأَعْمَلَنَّ فِيهَا بِمَا عَمِلَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَبَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنْ يَدْفَعَ إِلَى فَاطِمَةَ شَيْئًا فَوَجَدَتْ فَاطِمَةُ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فِي ذَلِكَ - قَالَ - فَهَجَرَتْهُ فَلَمْ تُكَلِّمْهُ حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَتْ وَعَاشَتْ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَتْ دَفَنَهَا زَوْجُهَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ لَيْلاً وَلَمْ يُؤْذِنْ بِهَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهَا عَلِيٌّ وَكَانَ لِعَلِيٍّ مِنَ النَّاسِ وِجْهَةٌ حَيَاةَ فَاطِمَةَ فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَتِ اسْتَنْكَرَ عَلِيٌّ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ فَالْتَمَسَ مُصَالَحَةَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَمُبَايَعَتَهُ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ بَايَعَ تِلْكَ الأَشْهُرَ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنِ ائْتِنَا وَلاَ يَأْتِنَا مَعَكَ أَحَدٌ - كَرَاهِيَةَ مَحْضَرِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ - فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَاللَّهِ لاَ تَدْخُلْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَحْدَكَ . فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَمَا عَسَاهُمْ أَنْ يَفْعَلُوا بِي إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لآتِيَنَّهُمْ . فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ . فَتَشَهَّدَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّا قَدْ عَرَفْنَا يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَضِيلَتَكَ وَمَا أَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ وَلَمْ نَنْفَسْ عَلَيْكَ خَيْرًا سَاقَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَكِنَّكَ اسْتَبْدَدْتَ عَلَيْنَا بِالأَمْرِ وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ نَرَى لَنَا حَقًّا لِقَرَابَتِنَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ . فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُكَلِّمُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ حَتَّى فَاضَتْ عَيْنَا أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَلَمَّا تَكَلَّمَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَقَرَابَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ أَنْ أَصِلَ مِنْ قَرَابَتِي وَأَمَّا الَّذِي شَجَرَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأَمْوَالِ فَإِنِّي لَمْ آلُ فِيهِ عَنِ الْحَقِّ وَلَمْ أَتْرُكْ أَمْرًا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَصْنَعُهُ فِيهَا إِلاَّ صَنَعْتُهُ . فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ مَوْعِدُكَ الْعَشِيَّةُ لِلْبَيْعَةِ . فَلَمَّا صَلَّى أَبُو بَكْرٍ صَلاَةَ الظُّهْرِ رَقِيَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَتَشَهَّدَ وَذَكَرَ شَأْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَتَخَلُّفَهُ عَنِ الْبَيْعَةِ وَعُذْرَهُ بِالَّذِي اعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرَ وَتَشَهَّدَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَعَظَّمَ حَقَّ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَحْمِلْهُ عَلَى الَّذِي صَنَعَ نَفَاسَةً عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَلاَ إِنْكَارًا لِلَّذِي فَضَّلَهُ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَلَكِنَّا كُنَّا نَرَى لَنَا فِي الأَمْرِ نَصِيبًا فَاسْتُبِدَّ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ فَوَجَدْنَا فِي أَنْفُسِنَا فَسُرَّ بِذَلِكَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَقَالُوا أَصَبْتَ . فَكَانَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ قَرِيبًا حِينَ رَاجَعَ الأَمْرَ الْمَعْرُوفَ .

It has been narrated on the authority of 'A'isha that Fatima and 'Abbas approached Abu Bakr, soliciting transfer of the legacy of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to them. At that time, they were demanding his (Holy Prophet's) lands at Fadak and his share from Khaibar. Abu Bakr said to them: I have heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then he quoted the hadith having nearly the same meaning as the one which has been narrated by Uqail on the authority of al-Zuhri (and which his gone before) except that in his version he said: Then 'Ali stood up, extolled the merits of Abu Bakr mentioned his superiority, and his earlier acceptance of Islam. Then he walked to Abu Bakr and swore allegiance to him. (At this) people turned towards 'Ali and said: you have done the right thing. And they became favourably inclined to 'Ali after he had adopted the proper course of action.

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ قَالَ ابْنُ رَافِعٍ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّﷺ وَهُمَا حِينَئِذٍ يَطْلُبَانِ أَرْضَهُ مِنْ فَدَكٍ وَسَهْمَهُ مِنْ خَيْبَرَ . فَقَالَ لَهُمَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ . وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ بِمِثْلِ مَعْنَى حَدِيثِ عُقَيْلٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَامَ عَلِيٌّ فَعَظَّمَ مِنْ حَقِّ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَذَكَرَ فَضِيلَتَهُ وَسَابِقَتَهُ ثُمَّ مَضَى إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَبَايَعَهُ فَأَقْبَلَ النَّاسُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقَالُوا أَصَبْتَ وَأَحْسَنْتَ . فَكَانَ النَّاسُ قَرِيبًا إِلَى عَلِيٍّ حِينَ قَارَبَ الأَمْرَ الْمَعْرُوفَ .

It has been narrated by 'Urwa b Zubair on the authority of 'A'isha, wife of Prophet ﷺ, that Fatima, daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, requested Abu Bakr, after the death of the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him), that he should set apart her share from what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had left from the properties that God had bestowed upon him. Abu Bakr said to her: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be npon him) said:" We do not have any heirs;
what we leave behind is Sadaqa (charity)." The narrator said: She (Fatima) lived six months after the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and she used to demand from Abu Bakr her share from the legacy of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from Khaibar, Fadak and his charitable endowments at Medina. Abu Bakr refused to give her this, and said: I am not going to give up doing anything which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to do. I am afraid that it I go against his instructions in any matter I shall deviate from the right course. So far as the charitable endowments at Medina were concerned, 'Umar handed them over to 'All and Abbas, but 'Ali got the better of him (and kept the property under his exclusive possession). And as far as Khaibar and Fadak were concerned 'Umar kept them with him, and said: These are the endowments of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (to the Umma). Their income was spent on the discharge of the responsibilities that devolved upon him on the emergencies he had to meet. And their management was to be in the hands of one who managed the affairs (of the Islamic State). The narrator said: They have been managed as such up to this day.

وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَالْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَأَلَتْ أَبَا بَكْرٍ بَعْدَ وَفَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يَقْسِمَ لَهَا مِيرَاثَهَا مِمَّا تَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِمَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ . فَقَالَ لَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ " لاَ نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةٌ " . قَالَ وَعَاشَتْ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَكَانَتْ فَاطِمَةُ تَسْأَلُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ نَصِيبَهَا مِمَّا تَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ خَيْبَرَ وَفَدَكٍ وَصَدَقَتِهِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَأَبَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَيْهَا ذَلِكَ وَقَالَ لَسْتُ تَارِكًا شَيْئًا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَعْمَلُ بِهِ إِلاَّ عَمِلْتُ بِهِ إِنِّي أَخْشَى إِنْ تَرَكْتُ شَيْئًا مِنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ أَزِيغَ فَأَمَّا صَدَقَتُهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَدَفَعَهَا عُمَرُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ وَعَبَّاسٍ فَغَلَبَهُ عَلَيْهَا عَلِيٌّ وَأَمَّا خَيْبَرُ وَفَدَكُ فَأَمْسَكَهُمَا عُمَرُ وَقَالَ هُمَا صَدَقَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَتَا لِحُقُوقِهِ الَّتِي تَعْرُوهُ وَنَوَائِبِهِ وَأَمْرُهُمَا إِلَى مَنْ وَلِيَ الأَمْرَ قَالَ فَهُمَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْيَوْمِ .

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: My heirs cannot share even a dinar (from my legacy) ;
what I leave behind after paving mtintenance allowance to my wives and remuneration to my manager is (to go in) charity.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ " لاَ يَقْتَسِمُ وَرَثَتِي دِيِنَارًا مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدَ نَفَقَةِ نِسَائِي وَمَئُونَةِ عَامِلِي فَهُوَ صَدَقَةٌ " .

A similar hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Zinad through a different chain of transmitters.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي عُمَرَ الْمَكِّيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ . نَحْوَهُ .