The Attribute of Spending on Others
On one occasion, Hazrat Umar (ra) asked his companions to express their desire for something. One of them replied, “I wish this house be filled with gold, so I may spend it in the way of Allah as Sadaqah.” Another stated, “I wish this house be filled with pearls and rubies, so I may spend it in the way of Allah as Sadaqah.” How lofty were the aspirations of the companions (ra)! Hazrat Umar (ra) then asked them to further express what they desired. They submitted, “O Leader of the Faithful, we do not understand as to what it is that we should desire?” Hazrat Umar (ra) stated, “I wish that this house be filled with people like Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) bin Jarrah, Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal, Salim (ra), the freed slave of Abu Huzaifah (ra) and Hazrat Huzaifah (ra) bin Yaman.”
(al-Mustadrak Ala al-Sahihain, Vol. 3, p. 252, Hadith 5005, Kitab Marifat al-Sahabah, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2002)
Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) lived in Yemen for two years, from 9 AH to 11 AH.
(Sheikh Shah Moinuddin Ahmad Nadvi, Siyar al-Sahabah, Vol. 3, Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal [Karachi, Pakistan: Dar al-Isha‘ah, 2004], 505)
On one occasion, Hazrat Umar (ra) bin Khattab placed 400 dinar in a money pouch and told one of his emissaries to take it to Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) bin Jarrah and remain there for a while and to take note of what he did with it. And so, the emissary went to Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) bin Jarrah (ra) with the small pouch of money and said, “The Leader of the Faithful has given this to you and said you may use it to fulfil any need you may have with it.” Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) replied, “May Allah bestow His mercy upon him.” He then called one of his maidservants and told her to give 7 dinars to such and such person, five to such and such, five to such and such and in this way, he distributed the entire amount.” In other words, he called his maidservant and asked her to distribute all the wealth to the various houses, who perhaps were in need of it. The emissary returned to Hazrat Umar (ra) and related the entire incident.
Hazrat Umar (ra) had prepared another pouch for Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) which contained the same amount of money that was sent to Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra). Hazrat Umar (ra) told the emissary to give the pouch to Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) and again instructed him to remain in his house for a while and observe what he did with it. And so, the emissary took the pouch and went to Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) and said, “The Leader of the Faithful (ra) has said that you may use this to fulfil whatever needs you may have.” Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) replied, “May Allah bestow His mercy upon him.” Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) then called his maidservant and told her to give a certain amount to such and such house and a certain amount to such and such house. Whilst Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) was distributing the wealth, his wife entered and said, “By God, we are also in need of it for there is nothing in the house. Please keep something for us as well.” This narration further clarifies the earlier narration regarding making a profit and receiving gifts. His wife stated that they had nothing at home and thus, they too were in need of it. By then, all the money had been distributed and only two dinars remained in the pouch which Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal handed over to his wife. The emissary returned to Hazrat Umar (ra) and related the entire incident. Hazrat Umar (ra) was extremely pleased by this and stated, “Indeed, Hazrat Ubaidah (ra) and Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) are like two brothers.”
(Majma al-Zawa‘id wa Manba al-Fawa‘id, Kitab al-Zakah, Bab fi al-Infaq, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001)
In other words, this attribute of spending [on others] was shared by both.