Particularity in Safeguarding the Wealth of the Treasury

Then, in relation to how particular Hazrat Umar (ra) was about safeguarding the wealth of the treasury, there is a narration of Zaid bin Aslam who says, “Hazrat Umar (ra) bin al-Khattab drank milk, which he enjoyed.” Someone gave him a glass of milk, so he drank it and enjoyed it. “He asked the person who handed him the milk, ‘Where is this from?’ He replied by saying that he went to a spring and mentioned the name of the spring, where people were giving water to the Zakat camels. They milked the camels and brought some for him and he put it in a water bowl.’ Hazrat Umar (ra) put his hand in his mouth and vomited the milk out saying that it belonged to Zakat and that he would not drink it.”

(Al-Muwatta, Imam Malik, Kitab-ul-Zakat, Hadith 31, Ahya-ul-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, 1985)

Bara bin Ma‘rur’s son narrates, “Hazrat Umar (ra) once came out of his home then stood at the pulpit. At the time, he was unwell and was prescribed some honey for his illness. There was a pot of honey in the treasury. Hazrat Umar (ra) said to the people, ‘If you permit me, I shall take this, otherwise, it is not permissible for me.’ The people permitted him to do so.”

(Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra Li Ibn Saad, Vol. 3, p. 147, Dar-ul-Ahaya al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, 1996)