He—may Allah have mercy on him—was asked:

“A man is given some worldly wealth by a brother of his. Should he accept it or refuse it? The following has been reported: ‘Whoever receives something without asking and refuses it, it is as though he has refused something from Allah.’ Is this authentic or not?”

He replied:

It is authentically established that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Umar:

“Whatever wealth comes to you without your asking for it or eagerly looking for it, accept it. Whatever does not, do not set your heart on it.”

It is also established in the Sahīh:

“Hakīm ibn Hizām asked him, and he gave him. Then he asked him again, and he gave him. Then he asked him again, and he gave him. Then he said: ‘O Hakīm, how often you ask! This wealth is green and sweet. Whoever takes it without covetousness will be blessed in it, but whoever takes it with a covetous heart will not be blessed in it and will be like someone who eats but is never satisfied.’ Hakīm said to him: ‘By the One who sent you with the truth, I will never take anything from anyone after you.’”

Thereafter, Abū Bakr and Umar would offer him gifts, but he would not accept them. These two hadiths make it clear that if a person asks verbally, or