Extent of Al-Infaq

1) Mus‘ab b. Sa‘d reported on the authority of his father that many verses of the Qur’an had been revealed in connection with him. His mother Umme Sa‘d had taken oath that she would never talk with him until he abandoned his faith, and she would neither eat nor drink and said: “Allah has commanded you to treat well your parents and I am your mother and I command you to do this.” She passed three days in this state until she fainted because of extreme hunger and at that time her son whose name was ‘Umarah stood up and served her drink and she began to curse Sa‘d. Thereupon Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed these verses of the Holy Qur’an: “And We have enjoined upon a person goodness to his parents but if they contend with thee to associate (others) with Me of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not’; Treat them with customary good in this world”. He also reported that there fell to the lot of Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) huge spoils of war and there was one sword in them. I picked that up and came to Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) and said: “Bestow this sword upon me (as my share in the spoils of war) and you know my state.” Thereupon he said: “Return it to the place from where you picked it up.” I went back until I decided to throw it in a store but my soul repulsed me so I came back and asked him to give that sword to me. He said in a loud voice to return it to the place from where I had picked it up. It was on this occasion that this verse was revealed: “They asked about the spoils of war”. He further said: “I once fell ill and sent a message to Allah’s Apostle (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam). He visited me and I said to him: “Permit me to distrib_ute (in charity) my property as much as I like.’ He did not agree. Then I asked for half of the property but he (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) did not agree. I said: “(Permit me to distribute) the third part, whereupon he kept quiet and it was after this (that the distribution of one’s property in charity) to the extent of one-third was held valid.” He further said: “I came to a group of persons of the Ansar and Muhajirin and they said: ‘Come, so that we may serve you  food and wine,’ and it was before the use of wine had been prohibited. I went to them in a garden and there had been with them the roasted head of a camel and a small water-skin containing wine. I ate and drank along with them and there came under discussion the Ansar (Helpers) and Muhajirin (immigrants). I said: ‘The immigrants are better than the Ansar,’ on that a person picked up a portion of the head (of the camel) and struck me with it that my nose was injured. I came to Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) and informed him of the situation, thereupon Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious, revealed verses pertaining to wine: “Intoxicants and the games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up and (dividing by) arrows are only an uncleanliness, the devil’s work.”

2) Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I said: “Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) verily, my repentance is that I am stripped of my wealth as sadaqa to (the cause of) Allah and His Mes_senger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam).” He (the Prophet, Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) said: “Retain with you some of your property. It is better for you.’ I said: “I shall retain my portion of Khaiber with me.”

Source: Economic Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): A Select Anthology of Hadith Literature on Economics, Muhammad Akram Khan. Republished with permission.