the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—gave preference to those in need, as he did when distributing the wealth of Banū al-Nadīr.

Umar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—said: “No one has a greater right to this wealth than anyone else. Rather, consideration is given to a man’s prior service, the benefit he provides, his distinguished efforts, and his need (1).”

Umar—may Allah be pleased with him—thus divided them into four categories:

• Those with distinguished prior service, through whose earlier efforts the wealth was secured.
• Those who benefit the Muslims by securing advantages for them, such as statesmen (2) and scholars who procure benefits for them in matters of religion, this world, and the Hereafter.
• Those who render distinguished service in warding off harm from them, such as those who wage jihad in Allah’s cause, including soldiers and intelligence agents who serve as loyal emissaries (3), and others like them.

The fourth category is those in need.

If anyone from among these groups volunteers his services, Allah has thereby spared the Muslims the expense. Otherwise, he is given enough to meet his needs or an amount commensurate with his work. Once you understand that grants from funds devoted to public interests—and likewise from charitable alms—are determined by the benefit a person provides and by his need, he is entitled to nothing beyond that except on the same basis as his peers, as when he shares with others in spoils of war or an inheritance.