Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah - Nasir al-Din al-Albani - (7/233)

Silsilat al-Ahadith al-SahihahNasir al-Din al-Albani

and he called me to pay zakat, and I acknowledged it. I said: “Messenger of Allah, I shall return to my people and call them to Islam and to the payment of zakat. Whoever responds to me, I shall collect his zakat. Then let the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, send an envoy to me at such-and-such a time, so that I may bring you the zakat I have collected.”

When al-Harith had collected the zakat from those who responded to him, and the appointed time at which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, intended to send someone to him arrived, the envoy was delayed and did not come. Al-Harith therefore thought that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and His Messenger had become displeased with him. So he summoned the leading men of his people and said to them:

“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had fixed a time for me at which he would send his envoy to collect the zakat in my possession. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, does not break his word, and I can only think that the delay of his envoy is due to some displeasure. Come, let us go to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent al-Walid ibn ‘Uqbah to al-Harith to collect the zakat he had gathered. But when al-Walid had travelled part of the way, he became afraid, turned back, and came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saying:

“Messenger of Allah, al-Harith withheld the zakat from me and intended to kill me!”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, dispatched a force against al-Harith.

Meanwhile, al-Harith set out with his companions. When he encountered the detachment after it had left Medina, they said, “This is al-Harith!” When he came upon them, he asked, “To whom have you been sent?” They replied, “To you.” He asked, “Why?” They said, “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent al-Walid ibn ‘Uqbah to you, and he claimed that you withheld the zakat from him and intended to kill him!” Al-Harith said, “No, by Him Who sent Muhammad with the truth! I never saw him at all, nor did he come to me.”

When al-Harith entered upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he said:

فدعاني إلى الزكاة فأقررت بها، وقلت: يا رسول الله! أرجع إلى قومي فأدعوهم إلى الإسلام وأداء الزكاة، فمن استجاب لي جمعت زكاته، فيرسل إلي رسول الله ﷺ رسولاً إبان كذا وكذا، ليأتيك ما جمعت من الزكاة. فلما جمع الحارث الزكاة ممن استجاب له، وبلغ (الإبان) الذي أراد رسول الله ﷺ أن يبعث إليه، احتبس عليه الرسول فلم يأته؛ فظن الحارث أنه قد حدث فيه سخطة من الله ﷿ ورسوله، فدعا بسرواتِ قومِهِ فقال لهم: إن رسول الله ﷺ -كان وَقَّتَ لي وَقْتاً يُرسلُ إليَّ رسوله ليقبض ما كان عندي من الزكاة، وليس من رسول الله ﷺ الخُلْفُ؛ ولا أرى حبس رسوله إلا من سُخطةٍ كانت؛ فانطلقوا فنأتي رسول الله- ﷺ. وبعث رسول- ﷺ الوليد بن عقبة إلى الحارث ليقبض ما كان عنده مما جمع من الزكاة، فلما أن سار الوليد حتى بلغ بعض الطريق فَرِقَ، فرجع فأتى رسول الله- ﷺ وقال: يا رسول الله! إن الحارث منعني الزكاة وأراد قتلي! فضرب رسول الله ﷺ البعث إلى الحارث. فأقبل الحارث بأصحابه. حتى إذا استقبل البعث وفصل من المدينة؛ لقيهم الحارث، فقالوا: هذا الحارث! فلما غشيهم قال لهم: إلى من بُعِثتُم؟ قالوا: إليك! قال: ولم؟! قالوا: إن رسول الله ﷺ كان بعث إليك الوليد بن عقبة، فزعم أنك منعته الزكاة وأردت قتله! قال: لا والذي بعث محمداً بالحق! ما رأيتُهُ بَتَّةَّ ولا أتاني. فلما دخل الحارث على رسول الله ﷺ قال: