By Allah, no one of you takes anything unlawfully except that he will meet Allah carrying it on the Day of Judgment

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man named Ibn al-Lutbiyyah to collect the Zakah from the tribe of Banu Sulaym. When he returned to Madīnah, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) held him accountable for what he had collected and how he had spent it. So Ibn al-Lutbiyyah said: This is your wealth, which I collected as Zakah, and this is a gift that was given to me. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Why do you not sit in the house of your father and mother to see whether gifts will be given to you if you are truthful? The rights and duties you were tasked with were the reason for those gifts being offered to you. If you had remained in your home, nothing would have been gifted to you. So, it is not permissible for you to consider it lawful simply because it reached you in the form of a gift. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ascended the pulpit angrily and delivered a sermon. He praised Allah and glorified Him, then said: To proceed, I appoint one of you to a duty—to oversee what Allah has entrusted to me of Zakah and war spoils. Then he returns from his assignment and says: This is for you, and this was given to me as a gift! Why does he not sit in the house of his father and mother to see if his gift will come to him? By Allah, no one takes anything unlawfully from what is given to him except that he will meet Allah on the Day of Judgment carrying it on his neck—whether it is a groaning camel, a mooing cow, or a bleating sheep. Then he raised his hands forcefully until those sitting saw the whiteness of his armpits, and he said: O Allah, I have conveyed Your ruling to them. Then Abu Humayd as-Sā‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that: This is what his eyes saw and his ears heard.

Benefits

• The ruler must clarify to those working under him what is required of them and what is prohibited in their duties.
• A threat to those who take people's wealth unjustly.
• There is no oppressor except that he will come on the Day of Judgment carrying what he wronged others with.
• It is obligatory for any employee in any government position to fulfill the responsibilities assigned to him. He is not permitted to accept gifts related to his work. If he receives such gifts, he must place them in the public treasury, and he is not allowed to keep them for himself, because such gifts are a means to evil and a violation of trust.
• Ibn Battāl said: This Hadīth indicates that a gift given to a public official is usually offered either as a token of gratitude for a favor, or to win his affection, or out of hope that he will show bias in applying the law. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that in such gifts, the official is just like any other Muslim—he has no special privilege over them—and it is not permissible for him to take such gifts exclusively for himself.
• An-Nawawi said: This Hadīth makes clear that gifts given to public officials are unlawful and considered a form of Ghulūl (stealing from the spoils of war), because the official has betrayed his trust and responsibility. This is why the Hadīth mentions the punishment: that he will carry what was gifted to him on the Day of Judgment, similar to the punishment for one who steals from the war booty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clearly explained in the same Hadīth the reason for the prohibition of the gift: it is due to his position of authority. This is in contrast to a gift given to someone who is not a public official, for such gifts are recommended.
• Ibn al-Munayyir said: It is understood from his statement: "Why does he not sit in the house of his father and mother" that it is permissible for a person in public office to accept gifts from someone who used to gift him before assuming that position. Ibn Hajar added: This is, of course, only allowed if the gift does not exceed what was customary before.
• The prophetic method in giving advice is to speak generally, not to expose individuals.
• Ibn Hajar said: It indicates the legitimacy of holding accountable those who are entrusted with responsibilities or public duties.

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