Compiled by Imam Muhammad al-Bukhari
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي السَّائِبُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ ابْنُ أُخْتِ، نَمِرٍ أَنَّ حُوَيْطِبَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ السَّعْدِيِّ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، قَدِمَ عَلَى عُمَرَ فِي خِلاَفَتِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ أَلَمْ أُحَدَّثْ أَنَّكَ تَلِي مِنْ أَعْمَالِ النَّاسِ أَعْمَالاً، فَإِذَا أُعْطِيتَ الْعُمَالَةَ كَرِهْتَهَا. فَقُلْتُ بَلَى. فَقَالَ عُمَرُ مَا تُرِيدُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ لِي أَفْرَاسًا وَأَعْبُدًا، وَأَنَا بِخَيْرٍ، وَأَرِيدُ أَنْ تَكُونَ عُمَالَتِي صَدَقَةً عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ. قَالَ عُمَرُ لاَ تَفْعَلْ فَإِنِّي كُنْتُ أَرَدْتُ الَّذِي أَرَدْتَ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعْطِينِي الْعَطَاءَ فَأَقُولُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي. حَتَّى أَعْطَانِي مَرَّةً مَالاً فَقُلْتُ أَعْطِهِ أَفْقَرَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " خُذْهُ فَتَمَوَّلْهُ وَتَصَدَّقْ بِهِ، فَمَا جَاءَكَ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَالِ وَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ مُشْرِفٍ وَلاَ سَائِلٍ فَخُذْهُ، وَإِلاَّ فَلاَ تُتْبِعْهُ نَفْسَكَ "
That when he went to 'Umar during his Caliphate. 'Umar said to him, "Haven't I been told that you do certain jobs for the people but when you are given payment you refuse to take it?" 'Abdullah added: I said, "Yes." 'Umar said, "Why do you do so?" I said, "I have horses and slaves and I am living in prosperity and I wish that my payment should be kept as a charitable gift for the Muslims." 'Umar said, "Do not do so, for I intended to do the same as you do. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)s used to give me gifts and I used to say to him, 'Give it to a more needy one than me.' Once he gave me some money and I said, 'Give it to a more needy person than me,' whereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Take it and keep it in your possession and then give it in charity. Take what ever comes to you of this money if you are not keen to have it and not asking for it; otherwise (i.e., if it does not come to you) do not seek to have it yourself.' "