Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sunan Abu Dawud, which contains 5,276 hadiths across 43 books. It is hadith number 1648 in the Book of Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat).

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#1647

#1648

Sunan Abu Dawud

#1649

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Sunan Abu Dawud #1648

Q: What is Sunan Abu Dawud 1648 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat)), narrated by Ibn al-Saidi said :, states: "Umar employed me to collect the sadaqah. When I finished doing so and gave it to him, he ordered payment to be given to me. I said: I did only for Allah’s sake, and my reward will come from Allah.…"

Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat)

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ الطَّيَالِسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الأَشَجِّ، عَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ السَّاعِدِيِّ، قَالَ اسْتَعْمَلَنِي عُمَرُ - رضى الله عنه - عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغْتُ مِنْهَا وَأَدَّيْتُهَا إِلَيْهِ أَمَرَ لِي بِعُمَالَةٍ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّمَا عَمِلْتُ لِلَّهِ وَأَجْرِي عَلَى اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ خُذْ مَا أُعْطِيتَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ عَمِلْتُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَعَمَّلَنِي فَقُلْتُ مِثْلَ قَوْلِكَ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِذَا أُعْطِيتَ شَيْئًا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُ فَكُلْ وَتَصَدَّقْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Umar employed me to collect the sadaqah. When I finished doing so and gave it to him, he ordered payment to be given to me. I said: I did only for Allah’s sake, and my reward will come from Allah. He said: Take what you are given, for I acted (as a collector) during the time of the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) and he assigned me a payment. Thereupon, I said the same kind of thing as you have said, to which Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said: When you are given something without asking for it, you should use it for your own purpose and as sadaqah.

Narrated by Ibn al-Saidi said :

Context

In this narration, Umar was tasked with collecting charity and was offered a payment for his efforts. He initially hesitated, believing he should work solely for Allah's sake. However, he was reminded by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) that accepting such compensation is permissible when given without asking. This highlights the balance between altruism and accepting rewards for one's efforts.

Modern Application

Today, many individuals engage in charitable work, often balancing their volunteer efforts with the need for financial support. This hadith encourages people to accept compensation for their time and efforts in charitable activities, ensuring sustainability in their good deeds.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Charity and Community because it addresses the significance of charitable work and the importance of community support in such efforts.

Charity Community