806 – ʿUmar—may Allah be pleased with him—said: “I donated a horse for the cause of Allah. Its new owner neglected it, and I thought he might sell it cheaply, so I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about the matter. He replied, ‘Do not buy it back, even if he gives it to you for a single dirham.’” Agreed upon (1).

Vocabulary of the ḥadith
• ḥamaltu ʿalā faras (I equipped someone with a horse): I provided a mount for a warrior who had none and transferred ownership to him; therefore he was entitled to sell it.
• fī sabīl Allāh (for the cause of Allah): referring here to the warriors and to jihād.
• fa-aḍāʿahu ṣāḥibuhu (its owner wasted it): he mismanaged the horse through neglect—failing to feed or care for it—until it grew thin and was almost ruined.
• lā tabtaʿhu (do not buy it): do not purchase it back.
• wa in aʿṭākahu bi-dirham (even if he gives it to you for a dirham): attached to “do not buy it,” as hyperbole to stress how low the price had become and that its cheapness was what tempted the purchase.

Lessons derived from the ḥadith
1 – ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) gave a horse to one of the combatants so he could ride it in battle. The man neglected the animal until it became weak, and ʿUmar wished to buy it back because, in that state, it would be inexpensive. He asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about the ruling, and the Prophet said, “Do not buy it, even if he sells it for a single dirham.”
2 – The ḥadith therefore teaches that a giver or donor should not let his heart remain attached to what he has given