حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا السَّائِبُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ ابْنُ أُخْتِ نَمِرٍ أَنَّ حُوَيْطِبَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ السَّعْدِىِّ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ قَدِمَ عَلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فِي خِلَافَتِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ أَلَمْ أُحَدَّثْ أَنَّكَ تَلِي مِنْ أَعْمَالِ النَّاسِ أَعْمَالًا فَإِذَا أُعْطِيتَ الْعُمَالَةَ كَرِهْتَهَا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ بَلَى فَقَالَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَمَا تُرِيدُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ لِي أَفْرَاسًا وَأَعْبُدًا وَأَنَا بِخَيْرٍ وَأُرِيدُ أَنْ تَكُونَ عُمَالَتِي صَدَقَةً عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَلَا تَفْعَلْ فَإِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ أَرَدْتُ الَّذِي أَرَدْتَ فَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُعْطِينِي الْعَطَاءَ فَأَقُولُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي حَتَّى أَعْطَانِي مَرَّةً مَالًا فَقُلْتُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خُذْهُ فَتَمَوَّلْهُ وَتَصَدَّقْ بِهِ فَمَا جَاءَكَ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَالِ وَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ مُشْرِفٍ وَلَا سَائِلٍ فَخُذْهُ وَمَا لَا فَلَا تُتْبِعْهُ نَفْسَكَ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 100
It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin as-Sa'di that he came to 'Umar bin al-Khattab during his caliphate and 'Umar said to him: Was I not told that you do work for people, then when you are given your wages you do not accept it? I said: Yes. 'Umar said: Why do you do that? I said: I have horses and slaves, and i am well off. I want my work to be an act of charity towards the Muslims. 'Umar said: Do not do that, for I wanted to do the same as you want to do. The Prophet ^ would give me some payment and I would say: Give it to one who is more in need of it than me. One day he gave me something and I said: Give it to one who is more in need of it than me. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Take it, keep it, and give it in charity. Whatever of this wealth comes to you when you are not hoping for it or asking for it, accept it, but if it does not come to you, do not hope for it."
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020