Supporting the Family

Narrated Malik bin Aus bin Al-Hadathan: Once
I set out to visit 'Umar (bin Al-Khattab).
(While I was sitting there with him his gate-
keeper, Yarfa, came and said, "Uthman
AbdurRahman (bin 'Auf), Az-Zubair and Sad
(bin Abi Waqqas) are seeking permission (to
meet you)." 'Umar said, "Yes. So he admitted
them and they entered, greeted, and sat down.
After a short while Yarfa came again and said
to 'Umar 'Shall I admit 'Ali and 'Abbas?" 'Umar
said, "Yes." He admitted them and when they
entered, they greeted and sat down. 'Abbas
said, "O Chief of the Believers! Judge between
me and this ('Ali)." The group, 'Uthman and
his companions Sad, 'O Chief of the Believers!
Judge between them and relieve one from the
other." 'Umar said. Wait! I beseech you by
Allah, by Whose permission both the Heaven
and the Earth stand fast ! Do you know that
Allah's Apostle said. 'We (Apostles) do not
bequeath anything to our heirs, but whatever
we leave is to be given in charity.' And by that
Allah's Apostles meant himself?" The group
said, "He did say so." 'Umar then turned
towards 'All and 'Abbas and said. "I beseech
you both by Allah, do you know that Allah's
Apostle said that?" They said, 'Yes " 'Umar
said, "Now, let me talk to you about this
matter. Allah favored His Apostle with
something of this property (war booty) which
He did not give to anybody else. And Allah
said:-- 'And what Allah has bestowed on His
Apostle (as Fai Booty) from them for which
you made no expedition with either cavalry or
camelry . . . Allah is Able to do all
things.' (59.6) So this property was especially
granted to Allah's Apostle. But by Allah he
neither withheld it from you, nor did he keep it
for himself and deprive you of it, but he gave
it all to you and distributed it among you till
only this remained out of it. And out of this
property Allah's Apostle used to provide his
family with their yearly needs, and whatever
remained, he would spend where Allah's
Property (the revenues of Zakat) used to be
spent. Allah's Apostle kept on acting like this
throughout his lifetime. Now I beseech you by
Allah, do you know that?" They said, "Yes."
Then 'Umar said to 'Ali and 'Abbas, "I beseech
you by Allah, do you both know that?" They
said, "Yes." 'Umar added, "When Allah had
taken His Apostle unto Him, Abu Bakr said, 'I
am the successor of Allah's Apostle. So he
took charge of that property and did with it
the same what Allah's Apostle used to do, and
both of you knew all about it then." Then
'Umar turned towards 'Ali and Abbas and said,
"You both claim that Abu- Bakr was so-and-
so! But Allah knows that he was honest,
sincere, pious and right (in that matter). Then
Allah caused Abu Bakr to die, and i said, 'I am
the successor of Allah's Apostle and Abu
Bakr.' So I kept this property in my possession
for the first two years of my rule, and I used to
do the same with it as Allah's Apostle and
Abu Bakr used to do. Later both of you ('Ali
and 'Abbas) came to me with the same claim
and the same problem. (O 'Abbas!) You came
to me demanding your share from (the
inheritance of) the son of your brother, and he
('Ali) came to me demanding his wives share
from (the inheritance of) her father. So I said
to you, 'If you wish I will hand over this
property to you, on condition that you both
promise me before Allah that you will manage
it in the same way as Allah's Apostle and Abu
Bakr did, and as I have done since the
beginning of my rule; otherwise you should
not speak to me about it.' So you both said,
'Hand over this property to us on this
condition.' And on this condition I handed it
over to you. I beseech you by Allah, did I hand
it over to them on that condition?" The group
said, "Yes." 'Umar then faced 'Ali and 'Abbas
and said, "I beseech you both by Allah, did I
hand it over to you both on that condition?"
They both said, "Yes." 'Umar added, "Do you
want me now to give a decision other than
that? By Him with Whose permission (order)
both the Heaven and the Earth stand fast, I
will never give any decision other than that till
the Hour is established! But if you are unable
to manage it (that property), then return it to
me and I will be sufficient for it on your
behalf . "