Abu Dawud

Benefits and Issues:
From the hadiths of this chapter and the noble verses on this subject, it is clear that the spoils of fay’ were specifically for Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, according to the divine instructions, used to distribute them among other deserving Muslims, apart from his own personal expenses and the expenditures of jihad. Regarding the property set aside for his and his family's expenses, the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam explicitly stated that it would not be distributed as inheritance. Although, in the beginning, a few elders of the Ahl al-Bayt may have thought there was some special distinction for themselves in this matter, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu and then Umar radi Allahu anhu satisfied them with clear proofs in the presence of the people of authority and decision, that their opinion was not preponderant. Upon this, they were ultimately satisfied. However, it is astonishing that among the Rafidah, this claim has generally been made from the beginning until now, that the two Shaykhs, we seek refuge with Allah, usurped the right of the Ahl al-Bayt. And they present this stance to their simple-minded masses in such a way that the Qur’an states that the Prophets have inheritance. And they argue that: “Allah instructs you concerning your children” ( an-Nisa: 11), meaning Allah commands you to give inheritance to your children. And that Sulayman alayhis salam was made the heir of his father. The statement of Allah the Exalted is: “And Sulayman inherited Dawud” ( an-Naml: 16), and Dawud’s heir was Sulayman. And Zakariya alayhis salam kept praying that he be granted a child who would be his heir. The statement of Allah the Exalted is: “So grant me from Yourself an heir, who will inherit from me and inherit from the family of Ya‘qub” ( Maryam: 5-6), meaning grant me an heir from Yourself, who will be my heir and the heir of the family of Ya‘qub, and so on.

But if one rises above partisanship and reflects with knowledge, piety, and honesty, it will become clear that their aforementioned argument is a half-truth. The general command to give inheritance to children is by no means absolute in its generality. For example, a disbeliever, a deliberate murderer, and a slave child cannot inherit from their parents. Similarly, the case of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is a specific exception to the general rule (i.e., the general command does not apply in certain specific cases). Sulayman alayhis salam was indeed the heir of his father Dawud alayhis salam, but not of wealth and property; rather, he inherited knowledge, scripture, and other such responsibilities. For this meaning, the word “inheritance” is used, just as for wealth and property, the statement of Allah the Exalted is: “Then We caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants” ( Fatir: 32), meaning We made Our chosen servants the heirs of this Book. And if inheritance of wealth were meant here, then how could it be that only Sulayman alayhis salam among the children of Dawud alayhis salam was made the heir, and the others were deprived? And if it were only inheritance of wealth or kingship, then there would be nothing particularly praiseworthy in it, for this is among the well-known practices of the world. If Sulayman alayhis salam inherited wealth, what great matter would that be for the Qur’an to mention it specifically? Similarly, the meaning of the prayers of Zakariya alayhis salam is also this: that he was seeking an heir to his knowledge, not to his wealth. If “who will inherit from me and inherit from the family of Ya‘qub” is taken to mean inheritance of wealth, then the prayer would mean that he should inherit the wealth of the entire family of Ya‘qub, which is to be granted to Zakariya alayhis salam as a guardian. Whereas the heir whom Allah granted him was completely uninterested in worldly possessions. That is, Yahya alayhis salam, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, or the other previous Prophets alayhimus salam, did not leave any inheritance except knowledge and scripture, nor did they appoint anyone as their heir. According to these people, if the two Shaykhs did not give Fatimah radi Allahu anha inheritance of wealth, then the uncle of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Abbas radi Allahu anhu, was also deprived. Even his own daughters, Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha and Hafsah radi Allahu anha, who were in the household of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, were also deprived. If this issue of inheritance was as they claim, then why did Ali radi Allahu anhu, during his caliphate when he had complete authority, not distribute the properties that were in the possession of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as inheritance and give all the rightful heirs their rights? But the truth is that he too maintained the decision of the two Shaykhs, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu and Umar radi Allahu anhu, which was in accordance with the command of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, just as it was in the beginning.