Endowment

Explanation of the Hadīth: Allah promised in the Qur'an: {And whatever you spend of good - it will be fully repaid to you} [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 272]. So, anyone dedicates a horse to fighting in the cause of Allah, seeking His reward and pleasure and believing in His promise, Allah will definitely reward such a person for everything that the horse eats, drinks, or excretes from urine and dung. Allah will place all that in the scale of his good deeds on the Day of Judgment. In a lengthy Hadīth reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Horses are kept for one of three purposes; for some people they are a source of sin, for some others they are a means of shelter, and for some others they are a source of reward. They are a source of reward for the person who keeps them for the cause of Allah tying them with a long tether on a meadow or in a garden. The result is that whatever the horses eat from the area of the meadow or the garden where they are tied and whatever they excrete from dung and urine will be counted as good deeds for his benefit. If they break the rope and jump over one or two hillocks, then all their footprints and dung will be written as good deeds for him. If they pass by a river with their owner and drink water from it, even though he had no intention of watering them, then he will get reward as much as the water drunk.”

كنوز رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين برئاسة حمد بن ناصر العمار، ط1، كنوز إشبيليا، الرياض، 1430هـ. بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين لسليم الهلالي، ط1، دار ابن الجوزي، الدمام، 1415ه. رياض الصالحين للنووي، تحقيق: ماهر ياسين الفحل، دار ابن كثير، دمشق، بيروت، ط1، 1428 هـ. رياض الصالحين، تحقيق: عصام هادي، وزارة الأوقاف والشؤون الإسلامية القطرية، دار الريان، بيروت، ط4، 1428هـ. صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، ط1، 1422ه. منار القاري شرح مختصر صحيح البخاري، لحمزة محمد قاسم، راجعه: الشيخ عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، مكتبة دار البيان، دمشق، مكتبة المؤيد، الطائف ، ط 1410 هـ. نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين لمجموعة من الباحثين، ط14، مؤسسة الرسالة، 1407هـ.

Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) was the one who owned the most farms in Madīnah from amongst the Ansār, and he had a garden that was opposite to the mosque of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) which had fresh water. The Prophet used to visit the garden and drink the water. When the following Qur’anic verse was revealed: {Never will you attain the good (reward) until you spend (in the way of Allah) from that which you love}, Abu Talhah hastened to see the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has reveled the verse {Never will you attain the good (reward) until you spend (in the way of Allah) from that which you love}, and my most beloved possession is Bayrahā’ - which was the name of that garden - so I have given it to you as charity in the way of Allah and his Messenger." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in amazement: "Well-done! Well done! That is a profitable deal! That is a profitable deal! I suggest that you give it to your nearest relatives." So Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) divided it among his relatives and paternal cousins.

- شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين، نشر: دار الوطن للنشر، الرياض، الطبعة: 1426ه. - بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي- الطبعة الأولى 1418ه - رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428ه . - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ. - صحيح البخاري –الجامع الصحيح-؛ للإمام أبي عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، عناية محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى، 1422هـ. - صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. - كنوز رياض الصالحين، لحمد بن ناصر العمار، دار كنوز إشبيليا- الطبعة الأولى 1430ه.

‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) got a piece of land in Khaybar that was about one hundred shares, and which he considered the most valuable of his possessions, given its good quality and excellence. The Companions used to compete in doing good deeds. So, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) seeking to attain righteousness that was mentioned in the verse (which means): {You will not attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love} [Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: 92]. He consulted the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on how to give that piece of land in charity for the sake of Allah. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised him with the best type of charity, and that was to keep the land itself as an endowment to be used for charitable purposes. ‘Umar did that and made the land itself an endowment that would neither be sold, nor given as a gift, nor bequeathed, nor be subject to any other type of disposal that could cause the transference of ownership, or act as a means to transferring ownership. Its yield was to be given as charity for the poor and needy, the relatives, in the emancipation of slaves, for paying blood money due upon people who were unable to pay it, for aiding those who performed Jihad to make Allah's word the most superior and support His religion, for feeding the travelers who ran out of expenditure while in a country other than theirs, and for feeding the guests, since feeding guests is part of believing in Allah, the Almighty. Given the fact that the land needs someone to take care of it and maintain it by way of irrigation and reform, it has been made permissible for the administrator of the land to eat from it in a reasonable just manner. He eats what he needs, and he may also feed his friends, without intending to obtain through it money that is extra to his need. That is because an endowment is only meant to be spent in good charitable ways, not for gaining money and achieving wealth.

- صحيح البخاري –الجامع الصحيح-؛ للإمام أبي عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، عناية محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى، 1422هـ. - صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. - الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام للشيخ إسماعيل الأنصاري-مطبعة السعادة-الطبعة الثانية 1392ه. - تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام-عبد الله البسام-تحقيق محمد صبحي حسن حلاق- مكتبة الصحابة- الشارقة- الطبعة العاشرة- 1426ه. - خلاصة الكلام شرح عمدة الأحكام- فيصل بن عبد العزيز بن فيصل ابن حمد المبارك الحريملي النجدي (المتوفى: 1376هـ)- الطبعة: الثانية، 1412 هـ - 1992 م.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified some types of properties and mentioned the recompense of those who do not pay their Zakah on the Day of Judgment. Such properties include: First: Gold and silver and what is similar to them, including money and commercial goods, which are subject to Zakah but were not paid. In this case, they are melted down and poured in the form of plates and heated in the fire of Hell and used to torment their owner, searing therewith his side, forehead, and back. Whenever they cool down, they are reheated, and he continues being tormented in such a way throughout the Day of Judgment, the length of which is fifty thousand years, until Allah judges between the creation and he becomes either from the dwellers of Paradise or Hellfire. Second: The owner of camels who does not pay their Zakah and the right due on them, including milking them for the needy who are present. In this case, such camels are brought, and they are huge, fat, and more in number than they were. Their owner will be laid down, thrown, and stretched for them on the Day of Judgment on a wide, level land where they can trample him with their hooves and bite him with their teeth. Whenever the last of them passes over him, the first of them will be made to return to pass over him, and he continues being tormented in such a way throughout the Day of Judgment, the length of which is fifty thousand years, until Allah judges between the creation and he becomes either from the dwellers of Paradise or Hellfire. Third: The owner of cows and sheep—sheep and goats—who does not pay the Zakah due on them. In this case, they are brought in great numbers, more than they were, and nothing will be missing thereof. He will be laid down, thrown, and stretched for them on the Day of Judgment on a wide level land. None of them will have a twisted horn, no horn, or a broken horn; rather, they will be in perfect shape. They will gore him with their horns and trample him with their hooves. Whenever the last of them passes over him, the first of them will be made to return to pass over him. and he will continue being tormented in such a way throughout the Day of Judgment, the length of which is fifty thousand years, until Allah judges between the creation and he becomes either from the dwellers of Paradise or Hellfire. Fourth: The owner of horses, and he is one of three types: First: They are a burden for him, and this is the person who keeps them for the sake of showing off, boasting, and waging war against Muslims. Second: They are a shield for him, and this is the person who keeps them for Jihad in the cause of Allah and treats them kindly, foddering and feeding them, and lending their males for breeding. Third: They are a reward for him, and this is the person who keeps them for Jihad in the cause of Allah for the Muslims' benefit. They are kept in a meadow and pasture to graze. Whatever they eat is recorded for him as good deeds, and their dung and urine are recorded for him as good deeds as well. They do not break their halter, i.e., the rope used for tethering them, run, and gallop in high lands, except that Allah will record for him the number of their hoof marks and their dung as good deeds. Moreover, their owner will not take them past a river from which they drink, although he did not intend to water them, except that Allah will record for him the amount of what they drink as good deeds. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about donkeys and whether they are like horses. He said: No legislation has been revealed regarding them in particular except that unique verse, which generally refers to all types of acts of obedience and sins, namely the verse in which Allah Almighty says: {So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.} [Surat az-Zalzalah: 7-8] So, whoever possesses donkeys as an act of obedience will attain reward for that, and whoever keeps them to commit sins will be punished for that, and this is a general ruling that includes all deeds.

1. Paying Zakah is obligatory and withholding it entails a stern warning.
2. One who withholds Zakah out of indolence is not a disbeliever but he is in great danger.
3. Man gets rewarded for the details that occur while performing an act of obedience, even if he did not have such details in mind, as long as he has intended the act of obedience itself.
4. There are due rights in one's wealth other than Zakah.
5. Among the rights due in camels is to milk them for the needy who are present in the place where the camels are watered because it is easier for the needy than going to homes and kinder to the cattle. Ibn Battāl said: There are two due rights in one's wealth: an individual obligation and another, and milking is among the rights pertaining to noble morals.
6. Among the due rights in camels, cows, and sheep is lending their males for breeding in case of being requested.
7. The ruling on donkeys and everything else that is not mentioned by name in religious texts is: They are included in the statement of Allah Almighty: {So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.}
8. The verse encourages doing good deeds, even if little, and warns against doing evil deeds, even if trivial.

صحيح البخاري (6/ 175) (4962). صحيح مسلم (2/ 680) (987). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين. بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 350). نزهة المتقين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 862). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 253). تيسير الكريم الرحمن في تفسير كلام المنان، لعبد الرحمن آل سعدي (ص335). فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري، لابن حجر (3/ 268). شرح الزرقاني على موطأ مالك، لمحمد الزرقاني (2/ 164). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي القاري (4/ 1262).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the deeds of a person come to a halt when he dies. No good deeds are recorded for him after death, except for these three things, as he was the cause behind them: First: Charity whose reward is enduring, permanent, and ceaseless, like endowment, building mosques, digging wells, etc. Second: Knowledge from which people draw benefits, like authoring books of knowledge or teaching knowledge to someone, who in turn disseminates this knowledge after his teacher's death. Third: A pious, believing child who supplicates for his parents.

1. The scholars unanimously agreed that the rewards that reach a person after his death include ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, supplication, and Hajj, as mentioned in other Hadīths.
2. He singled out these three things in the Hadīth because they represent the foundations of goodness and they are mostly the things virtuous people want to endure after their passing.
3. Any beneficial knowledge will bring reward, but at the top and pinnacle of it is the Shar‘i knowledge and the sciences that support it.
4. Knowledge is the most beneficial of these three, because knowledge benefits the person who learns it, preserves the Shariah, and benefits people in general. Plus, it is more comprehensive and inclusive as people learn from your knowledge that exists during your lifetime and endures after your death.
5. The Hadīth encourages us to raise righteous children, as they are the ones who will benefit their parents in the Hereafter, and an example of their benefit is that they supplicate for them.
6. It encourages kindness to parents after their death, which is also a form of righteousness from which the child benefits.
7. Supplication benefits a deceased person even if the supplicant is not his child. But, a person's child is specifically mentioned because he is mostly the one who continues to supplicate for his parents until he dies.

صحيح مسلم (3/ 1255) (1631)، البحر المحيط الثجاج في شرح صحيح الإمام مسلم بن الحجاج (28/ 413).

The mother of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away, and he asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the best types of charity to give on behalf of his mother. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that the best charity is water. So, he dug a well and made it a charity on behalf of his mother.

1. The Hadīth points out that water is one of the best types of charity.
2. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed Sa‘d to the charity of water, as it is more beneficial in religious and worldly matters, and because of the intense heat, the bad need for water, and the scarcity of water.
3. It indicates that the rewards for charity reach the deceased.
4. It demonstrates the kindness of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him) toward his mother (may Allah be pleased with her).

سنن أبي داود (3/ 109) (1681)، سنن النسائي (6/ 254) (3664)، سنن ابن ماجه (4/ 643) (3684)، شرح سنن أبي داود للعباد (204/ 19).