his camels.” (1) At other times he would say: “O Allah, bestow blessings upon him.” (2) It was not his practice to take people’s choicest possessions as zakat, but rather those of average quality. For this reason, he forbade Mu‘ādh from doing so (3).
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He would forbid a donor to buy back what he had given in charity (4). He would permit a wealthy person to eat food given in charity if its poor recipient presented it to him as a gift. He himself, peace and blessings be upon him, ate meat that had been given in charity to Barīra, saying: “For her it is charity; for us it is a gift.” (5)
He sometimes incurred debts for the Muslims’ benefit, to be repaid from zakat. For example, when he was equipping an army and the available camels ran out, he instructed ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr to obtain camels on credit, to be repaid with young she-camels (6) collected as zakat (7).
(1) Reported by al-Nasā’ī in al-Mujtabā (2458) and al-Kubrā (2250), al-Tabarānī in al-Du‘ā’ (2013) and al-Kabīr (22:40), and al-Bayhaqī (4:157), from Wā’il ibn Hujr. Its chain of transmission is sound; Ibn Khuzayma (2274) and al-Hākim (1:400) authenticated it.
(2) Reported by al-Bukhārī (1497, 4166, 6332, 6359) and Muslim (1078), from ‘Abd Allāh ibn Abī Awfā.
(3) Reported by al-Bukhārī (1395, 1458, 1496, 4347, 7372) and Muslim (19), from Ibn ‘Abbās.
(4) Reported by Mālik (766, 767), al-Bukhārī (1489, 1490, and elsewhere), and Muslim (1621), from Ibn ‘Umar.
(5) Reported by Mālik (1625), al-Bukhārī (1493, 2578, 5097, and elsewhere), and Muslim (1075), from ‘Ā’isha.
(6) The printed edition reads “min qalā’is” (from young she-camels); ع reads “min qilās” (from young she-camels). The adopted reading is supported by the remaining manuscripts. A qalūs is a well-formed young she-camel; its plurals are qilās and qalā’is.
(7) Reported by Ahmad (6593, 7025), Abū Dāwūd (3357) in abridged form, al-Tabarānī (13:63), al-Dāraqutnī (3053, 3054), and al-Hākim (3:56–57), from ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Amr. Its transmission involves jahāla (uncertainty concerning a narrator) and idtirāb (inconsistent transmission). Al-Dāraqutnī (3052) also reported it from ‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb, from his father, from his grandfather. Through al-Dāraqutnī’s transmission, al-Bayhaqī (5:287–288) also reported it and authenticated it. Al-Hāfiz referred to it in al-Fath (4:347).