‘Adi b. ‘Amira reported God’s messenger as saying,
"If I appoint any of you to deal with a matter and he conceals from me a needle and what is above that, it is dishonesty, and he will bring it on the day of resurrection.” *
Narrated Abu Humaid as-Sa‘idi said that God’s messenger appointed a man of Azd called Ibn al-Lutbiya to collect the sadaqa and when he returned he said, “This is for you, and this was given me as a present.” So the Prophet delivered an address, and after praising and extolling God he said,
"To proceed:
I employ men of your number to deal with certain matters which God has entrusted to me, yet one of them comes and says, 'This is for you and this is a present which was given to me.’ Why did he not sit in his father’s or his mother’s house and see whether it would be given to him or not? By Him in whose hand my soul is, whoever takes any of it will inevitably bring it on the day of resurrection carrying it on his neck, be it a camel which rumbles, an ox which bellows, or a sheep which bleats.”
Then raising his arms so that we could see the place where the hair grew under his armpits he said, "O God, have I given full information? O God, have I given full information?”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
Khattabi said: The words "Why did he not sit in his father’s or his mother's house and see whether it would be given to him or not?” are a proof that every matter which, when it is adopted, leads to something forbidden is itself forbidden, and that note is taken of everyone who enters into covenants as to whether or not his decision made by himself is like his decision when he is associated with others. Thus it is quoted in Sharh as-sunna.
Ibn ‘Abbas told how, when this verse was revealed, "And those who hoard gold and silver…”* the Muslims were grieved about it and ‘Umar told them he would dispel their care. He therefore went and told God’s Prophet that his companions were grieved by this verse, and received the reply,
"God has made the zakat obligatory simply to purify your remaining property, and He made inheritances obligatory (mentioning a word)** that they might come to those who survive you.”
'Umar then said, "God is most great,” after which he said to him, "Let me inform you about the best a man hoards; it is a virtuous woman who pleases him when he looks at her, obeys him when he gives her a command, and guards his interests when he is away from her."
Abu Dawud transmitted it.
* Qur'an 9: 34.
** i.e. a word about which Ibn ‘Abbas was uncertain.
Abu Huraira told how when God’s messenger sent ‘Umar to collect sadaqa people said that Ibn Jamil, Khalid b. al-Walid and al-‘Abbas refused. So God’s messenger said,
“Ibn Jamil is not objecting, but he was poor and God and His messenger enriched him. * As for Khalid, you are wronging him, for he has kept back his coats of mail and weapons to use them in God’s path. As for al-‘Abbas, I shall be responsible for it and an equal amount along with it.”
Then he said, “Did you not know, ‘Umar, that a man’s paternal uncle is of the same stock as his father?”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
* This sentence has given commentators trouble, and several explanations of the meaning are given. It appears best to understand it as a seeming defence of Ibn Jamil which is really a rebuke. The idea is therefore that the seriousness of his action is not so much in his actual objection to paying zakat as in his being induced to do this by ingratitude to God who has enriched him.
