‘A’isha said she asked God's Messenger what the thing was which it was unlawful to refuse and he replied that it was water, salt and fire. She said, “Messenger of God, we know about water, but what is the significance of salt and fire?” He replied, “Little rosy one, he who gives fire is as though he had given sadaqa of all that that fire cooked ; he who gives salt is as though he had given sadaqa of all that that salt freshened ; he who gives a Muslim a drink of water where water is found is as though he had set free a slave; and he who gives a Muslim a drink of water where water is not found is as though he had given him life.”
Samura b. Jundub told that he had a row of palm-trees in the garden of a man of the Ansar who had his family with him. Samura used to go in, and as the Ansari was annoyed by this he went and mentioned the matter to the Prophet. He asked him to sell it (. i.e. he asked Samura to sell his row of palm-trees), but he refused, so he asked him to take something else in exchange, but he refused. He then said, “Give it to him and you can have such and such,” mentioning something with which he tried to please him, but he refused. He therefore told him he was a nuisance and told the Ansari to go and cut down his palm-trees.
Ibn ‘Umar told that when ‘Umar got some land in Khaibar he went it to the Prophet and said, “Messenger of God, I have acquired land in Khaibar which I consider to be more valuable than any I have ever | acquired, so what do you command me to do with it?” He replied, “If you wish you may make the property an inalienable possession and give { its produce as sadaqa ” So ‘Umar gave it as sadaqa declaring that the property must not be sold, given away, or inherited, and he gave its produce as sadaqa to be devoted to the poor, relatives, the emancipation j of slaves, God’s path, travellers and guests, no sin being committed by the one who administers it if he eats something from it in a reasonable b manner or gives something to someone else to eat*, provided he is not storing up goods . Ibn Sirin said, “Provided he is not acquiring capital for himself.”
* This is a literal translation. It is used of him getting a reasonable return for his services, i | both for himself and for his family.
