Sunan Abi Dawud — Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai' Wal-Imarah)

When I entered upon Mu’awiyah, he said: How good your visit is to us, O father of so-and-so. (This is an idiom used by the Arabs on such occasions). I said: I tell you a tradition which I heard (from the Prophet). I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If Allah puts anyone in the position of authority over the affairs of the Muslims, and he secludes himself (from them), not fulfilling their needs, wants, and poverty, Allah will keep Himself away from him, not fulfilling his need, want and poverty. He said: He (Mu’awiyah) appointed a man to fulfil the needs of the people.

The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: The hand which takes is responsible till it pays. Then al-Hasan forgot and said: (If you give something on loan to a man), he is your depositor ; there is no compensation (for it) on him.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave a decision on the basis of an oath and a single witness.

Two men disputed about some property and brought the case to the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), but neither of them could produce any proof. So the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said: Cast lots about the oath whatever it may be, whether they like it or dislike it.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: One should not sit between two men except with their permission.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When a man goes out of his house and says: “In the name of Allah, I trust in Allah; there is no might and no power but in Allah,” the following will be said to him at that time: “You are guided, defended and protected.” The devils will go far from him and another devil will say: How can you deal with a man who has been guided, defended and protected?

Umm Aban, daughter of al-Wazi’ ibn Zari’, quoting his grandfather, who was a member of the deputation of AbdulQays, said: When we came to Medina, we raced to be first to dismount and kiss the hand and foot of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). But al-Mundhir al-Ashajj waited until he came to the bundle of his clothes. He put on his two garments and then he went to the Prophet (ﷺ). He said to him: You have two characteristics which Allah likes: gentleness and deliberation. He asked: Have I acquired them or has Allah has created (them) my nature? He replied: No, Allah has created (them) in your nature. He then said: Praise be to Allah Who has created in my nature two characteristics which Allah and His Apostle like.

We came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked him for some corn. He said: Go, Umar, and give them. He ascended with us a room upstairs, took a key from his apartment and opened it.