Sunan Abu Dawud #2935
Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai' Wal-Imarah)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
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 صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لَهُ ائْتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 " .
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.
Narrated by Narrated Ghalib al-Qattan:
Context
In this hadith, Ghalib al-Qattan narrates a story about a man who offered his people camels as an incentive to embrace Islam. After they accepted, he contemplated taking the camels back. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) advised that he could choose to give or take back the camels, emphasizing the importance of ethical responsibility in leadership and community relations.
Modern Application
This principle of ethical responsibility can be applied in modern leadership and community engagement. Leaders should honor their commitments and consider the well-being of those they serve, ensuring that their actions reflect integrity and fairness.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Community and Ethical Responsibility because it illustrates the importance of ethical decision-making in community leadership and the responsibilities leaders have toward their followers.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الحُجُرَاتِ
Al-Hujuraat (The Inner Apartments)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا۟ ۖ قُل لَّا تَمُنُّوا۟ عَلَىَّ إِسْلَٰمَكُم ۖ بَلِ ٱللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَىٰكُمْ لِلْإِيمَٰنِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islam. Say, "Do not consider your Islam a favor to me. Rather, Allah has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful."
سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ
Aal-i-Imraan (The Family of Imraan)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْهُدَىٰ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ أَن يُؤْتَىٰٓ أَحَدٌۭ مِّثْلَ مَآ أُوتِيتُمْ أَوْ يُحَآجُّوكُمْ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ
And do not trust except those who follow your religion." Say, "Indeed, the [true] guidance is the guidance of Allah. [Do you fear] lest someone be given [knowledge] like you were given or that they would [thereby] argue with you before your Lord?" Say, "Indeed, [all] bounty is in the hand of Allah - He grants it to whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Wise."
فَإِنْ حَآجُّوكَ فَقُلْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّهِ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِ ۗ وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْأُمِّيِّۦنَ ءَأَسْلَمْتُمْ ۚ فَإِنْ أَسْلَمُوا۟ فَقَدِ ٱهْتَدَوا۟ ۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْبَلَٰغُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ
So if they argue with you, say, "I have submitted myself to Allah [in Islam], and [so have] those who follow me." And say to those who were given the Scripture and [to] the unlearned, "Have you submitted yourselves?" And if they submit [in Islam], they are rightly guided; but if they turn away - then upon you is only the [duty of] notification. And Allah is Seeing of [His] servants.
سُورَةُ النُّورِ
An-Noor (The Light)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كَمَا ٱسْتَخْلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى ٱرْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًۭا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِى لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِى شَيْـًۭٔا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَٰسِقُونَ
Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient.
سُورَةُ الفَتۡحِ
Al-Fath (The Victory)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
سَيَقُولُ لَكَ ٱلْمُخَلَّفُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ شَغَلَتْنَآ أَمْوَٰلُنَا وَأَهْلُونَا فَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ۚ يَقُولُونَ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِم مَّا لَيْسَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ ۚ قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ ضَرًّا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ نَفْعًۢا ۚ بَلْ كَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًۢا
Those who remained behind of the bedouins will say to you, "Our properties and our families occupied us, so ask forgiveness for us." They say with their tongues what is not within their hearts. Say, "Then who could prevent Allah at all if He intended for you harm or intended for you benefit? Rather, ever is Allah, with what you do, Acquainted.
Common Words
152 total119 unique21 repeated
ٱلله6x
من5x
قل4x
إن4x
أن3x
عليك2x
أسلموا2x
لا2x
بل2x
ما2x
أو2x
وٱلله2x
ٱلذين2x
فى2x
لهم2x
بعد2x
شيـا2x
ومن2x
فإن2x
أراد2x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #2935 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai' Wal-Imarah). It is graded Hasan Sahih and narrated by Narrated Ghalib al-Qattan:.