Ibn Hibban

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Hanzaliyyah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), narrates: Once, Aqra’ and ‘Uyainah asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for something, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered Sayyiduna Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) to write a document for them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) sealed it and ordered that the document be handed over to both of them. ‘Uyainah asked: What is in it? Sayyiduna Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: In it is that which you have been ordered to be given. He accepted it and placed it in his turban; he was the more intelligent of the two men. But Aqra’ said: Should I take a document about which I do not know what is written in it? This would be like a document that causes misunderstanding. Sayyiduna Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about what both of them had said. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) went out for some task. In the early part of the day, the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by a camel that was made to sit outside the door of the mosque. Then, in the latter part of the day, the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by it again, and it was still in the same place. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Where is its owner? He was searched for, but not found. So the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Fear Allah regarding these animals; ride them when they are healthy, and feed them well so that they become fat and strong. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him), expressing displeasure over the earlier incident, said: Whoever asks for something while he possesses that which makes him not in need of asking, then he is only increasing the coals of Hell for himself. The people asked: O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)! What is meant by not being in need of asking? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whoever has food for the morning and evening. (Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:) The statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him), “what he does in the morning and what he does in the evening,” means what he always does, until he becomes independent of it. Have you not seen that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said in the narration transmitted from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him): “It is not permissible to give charity to a wealthy person or to a healthy, working person.” So the Prophet (peace be upon him) here set the limit for the prohibition of charity as that which makes a person independent of people. You certainly know that whoever has food for the morning and evening is not among those who become independent of others to the extent that it becomes forbidden for him to take charity. On this basis, the wording of these narrations has been transmitted in a general sense. But what is meant is obligatory charity, not voluntary charity.