to give to, and I withhold only from those from whom I have been commanded to withhold. Thus, I obey Allah in both giving and withholding. He therefore distributes charity, fayʾ revenues, and spoils of war just as he distributes inheritances among those entitled to them, because Allah has commanded him to make this distribution.

Hence, whenever wealth is attributed to Allah and His Messenger, what is meant is wealth that must be spent in obedience to Allah and His Messenger. It does not mean that it is the Messenger’s property, as some jurists have supposed. Nor does it mean that Allah owns it by virtue of His creation and decree, for all wealth is His in that sense.

This is illustrated by His words:

“Say, ‘The spoils belong to Allah and the Messenger.’”

And His words:

“And know that whatever spoils you acquire, one-fifth belongs to Allah and the Messenger”—to the end of the verse.

And His words:

“As for whatever Allah restored to His Messenger from them, you spurred neither horses nor camels to obtain it,”

through to His words:

“Whatever Allah restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns belongs to Allah, the Messenger, and near relatives”—to the end of the verse.

Thus, concerning fayʾ, He mentioned the same recipients He mentioned concerning the fifth. Some jurists therefore supposed that attributing this wealth to the Messenger meant that he owned it just as people own their property.

Some of them then said that the spoils of Badr were the Messenger’s property. Others said that the fayʾ and four-fifths of it were the Messenger’s property. Others said that the Messenger was entitled only to one-fifth of the fifth. Some of the latter also said that he was likewise entitled to one-fifth of the fifth of the fayʾ.

These views appear in the writings of groups of scholars among the followers of al-Shāfiʿī, Ahmad, Abū Hanīfa, and others. This is mistaken on several grounds: