The Book of Zakat — Hadith 2199

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي، طَلْحَةَ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَقُولُ كَانَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ أَكْثَرَ أَنْصَارِيٍّ بِالْمَدِينَةِ مَالاً وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ أَمْوَالِهِ إِلَيْهِ بَيْرَحَى وَكَانَتْ مُسْتَقْبِلَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدْخُلُهَا وَيَشْرَبُ مِنْ مَاءٍ فِيهَا طَيِّبٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَنَسٌ فَلَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ ‏{‏ لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ‏}‏ قَامَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ فِي كِتَابِهِ ‏{‏ لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ‏}‏ وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ أَمْوَالِي إِلَىَّ بَيْرَحَى وَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ لِلَّهِ أَرْجُو بِرَّهَا وَذُخْرَهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فَضَعْهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ ‏.‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ بَخْ ذَلِكَ مَالٌ رَابِحٌ ذَلِكَ مَالٌ رَابِحٌ قَدْ سَمِعْتُ مَا قُلْتَ فِيهَا وَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تَجْعَلَهَا فِي الأَقْرَبِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَسَمَهَا أَبُو طَلْحَةَ فِي أَقَارِبِهِ وَبَنِي عَمِّهِ ‏.‏

English Translation

Anas b. Malik is reported as saying: Abu Talha was the one among the Ansar of Medina who possessed the largest property and among his property he valued most was his garden known as Bairaha' which was opposite the mosque, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) often visited it and he drank of its sweet water. When this verse was revealed: "You will never attain righteousness till you give freely of what you love" (iii. 91), Abu Talha got up and, going to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), said: Allah says in His Book: "You will never attain righteousness till you give freely of what you love," and the dearest of my property is Bairaha' so I give it as Sadaqa to God from Whom I hope for reward for it and the treasure with Allah; so spend it, Messenger of Allah, on whatever purpose you deem it proper. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Well done! that is a profitable deal, that is a profitable deal. I have heard what you have said, but I think you should spend it on your nearest relatives. So Abu Talha distributed it among the nearest relatives and his cousins on his father's side.