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I proceeded till I entered upon `Umar (and while I was sitting there), his gate-keeper Yarfa came to
him and said, ” `Uthman, `Abdur-Rahman, Az-Zubair and Sa`d ask your permission to come in.”
`Umar allowed them. So they entered, greeted, and sat down. (After a while the gatekeeper came) and
said, “Shall I admit `Ali and `Abbas?” `Umar allowed them to enter. Al-`Abbas said “O Chief of the
believers! Judge between me and the oppressor (`Ali).” Then there was a dispute (regarding the
property of Bani Nadir) between them (`Abbas and `Ali). `Uthman and his companions said, “O Chief
of the Believers! Judge between them and relieve one from the other.” `Umar said, “Be patient!
beseech you by Allah, with Whose permission the Heaven and the Earth Exist! Do you know that
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, ‘Our property is not to be inherited, and whatever we leave is to be given in
charity,’ and by this Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) meant himself?” On that the group said, “He verily said so.”
`Umar then faced `Ali and `Abbas and said, “I beseech you both by Allah, do you both know that
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said so?” They both replied, “Yes”. `Umar then said, “Now I am talking to you about
this matter (in detail) . Allah favored Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) with some of this wealth which He did not give
to anybody else, as Allah said: ‘What Allah bestowed as Fai (Booty on His Apostle for which you
made no expedition… ‘ (59.6)
So that property was totally meant for Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), yet he did not collect it and ignore you, nor did
he withhold it with your exclusion, but he gave it to you and distributed it among you till this much of
it was left behind, and the Prophet, used to spend of this as the yearly expenditures of his family and
then take what remained of it and spent it as he did with (other) Allah’s wealth. The Prophet (ﷺ) did so
during all his lifetime, and I beseech you by Allah, do you know that?” They replied, “Yes.” `Umar
then addressed `Ali and `Abbas, saying, “I beseech you both by Allah, do you know that?” Both of
them replied, “Yes.” `Umar added, “Then Allah took His Apostle unto Him. Abu Bakr then said ‘I am
the successor of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)’ and took over all the Prophet’s property and disposed of it in the
same way as Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to do, and you were present then.” Then he turned to `Ali and
`Abbas and said, “You both claim that Abu Bakr did so-and-so in managing the property, but Allah
knows that Abu Bakr was honest, righteous, intelligent, and a follower of what is right in managing it.
Then Allah took Abu Bakr unto Him, ‘I said: I am the successor of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr.’ So
I took over the property for two years and managed it in the same way as Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), and Abu
Bakr used to do. Then you both (`Ali and `Abbas) came to me and asked for the same thing! (O
`Abbas! You came to me to ask me for your share from nephew’s property; and this (`Ali) came to me
asking for his wives share from her father’s property, and I said to you both, ‘If you wish, I will place
it in your custody on condition that you both will manage it in the same way as Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and
Abu Bakr did and as I have been doing since I took charge of managing it; otherwise, do not speak to
me anymore about it.’
Then you both said, ‘Give it to us on that (condition).’ So I gave it to you on that condition. Now I
beseech you by Allah, did I not give it to them on that condition?” The group (whom he had been
addressing) replied, “Yes.” `Umar then addressed `Abbas and `Ali saying, “I beseech you both by
Allah, didn’t I give you all that property on that condition?” They said, “Yes.” `Umar then said, “Are
you now seeking a verdict from me other than that? By Him with Whose Permission the Heaven and
the Earth exists I will not give any verdict other than that till the Hour is established; and if you both
are unable to manage this property, then you can hand it back to me, and I will be sufficient for it on
your behalf.” (See, Hadith No. 326, Vol. 4)