Appointment to Yemen
Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) was extremely charitable and used to generously spend on others. Owing to this he often had to take loans as well. When the people who had loaned him money pressured him to return the money, he hid in his home for a few days. Upon this, these individuals went to the Holy Prophet (sa) and requested him to ask Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) to pay back the loan. The Holy Prophet (sa) sent an individual to Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) and called for him. When the debt of Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) surpassed the value of his belongings, the Holy Prophet (sa) said that God would have mercy on the person who did not seek the repayment of the loan. Accordingly, some of them forgave his debt. However, some individuals still demanded for it to be paid back. Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) distributed his entire belongings among those individuals, but still there was some debt outstanding. The manner in which this debt was repaid was that each lender received a small portion of their money, but they demanded for the remaining amount to be paid back as well. Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) said to leave the matter for the time being as there was nothing more to give, therefore they ought to take that amount.
When Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) was left with nothing, the Holy Prophet (sa) sent him to Yemen and said that Allah will soon compensate for his loss and enable him to pay off his debt.
(Sheikh Shah Moinuddin Ahmad Nadvi, Siyar al-Sahabah, Vol. 3, Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal [Karachi, Pakistan: Dar al-Isha‘ah, 2004], 502) (Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma‘rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 5, Mu‘az(ra) bin Jabal [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2003], 188) (Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3, Mu‘az(ra) bin Jabal… [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1990], 441)
On this occasion, the Holy Prophet (sa) also said to Hazrat Mu‘az (ra), “O Mu‘az! You have a lot of debt. Therefore, if you are presented with a gift, you may accept it. I permit you to do so.”
(Siyar al-Sahabah, Vol. 5, p. 146, Dar al-Isha‘ah, Lahore)
The Holy Prophet (sa) said that he was permitted to accept gifts – under normal circumstances, there is nothing wrong in accepting gifts and it is said that giving each other gifts increases the love between people, and so one ought to give gifts. However, since Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) was sent as a representative of the Holy Prophet (sa), he specifically instructed him that if he was presented with any gifts in his capacity as a representative, then he was permitted to spend it on himself. The reason for this [special permission] was that these gifts were generally given for the treasury [Bait al-Maal], or for the Holy Prophet (sa).
Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal relates that when the Holy Prophet (sa) sent him to Yemen, the Holy Prophet (sa) walked outside with him in order to impart some advice. Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) was seated on his mount and the Holy Prophet (sa) walked alongside him. When the Holy Prophet (sa) completed what he had to say, he added, “O Mu‘az! It is possible that we may not meet in the coming year and it is also possible that you will pass by my mosque and my grave.” Hearing this, Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) started to weep profusely because he was parting from the Holy Prophet (sa). Following this, the Holy Prophet (sa) turned his blessed face towards Medina and said, “The righteous from among my people are near and dear to me, whoever they may be and wherever they may be.”
(Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Musnad Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal, Vol. 7, p. 359, Hadith 22402, Alam ul-Kutub, Beirut, 1998)
It is stated in one narration that on this occasion, the Holy Prophet (sa) said to Hazrat Mu‘az (ra), “Soon you shall go to those who are Ahl-e-Kitab [people of the book]. When you reach them, invite them to bear witness that there in none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they accept this, then inform them that Allah has prescribed for them the five daily prayers. If they accept this, then inform them that Allah has prescribed for them the giving of alms, which should be taken from their wealthy and given to their poor. If they accept this as well, then beware; do not take alms from their most valuable possessions, rather adopt the middle course with regard to taking from their wealth. And beware of the curse of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between them and Allah.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Bab Ba‘th Abi Musa wa Mu‘az ila Yaman…, Hadith 347)
The Holy Prophet (sa) specifically advised him to be cautious lest he became the object of the prayers of those who are oppressed as there is no barrier between their pleas and Allah.
The Holy Prophet (sa) sent Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal to Yemen as a qazi. Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) would teach [the people of Yemen] the Holy Quran and matters of faith and would also settle their disputes. Those who collected Zakat in Yemen would send whatever they had collected to Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal. The Holy Prophet (sa) had entrusted five companions to oversee matters in Yemen; Hazrat Khalid (ra) bin Saeed, Hazrat Muhajir (ra) bin Umayyah, Hazrat Zaid (ra) bin Labeed, Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal and Hazrat Abu Musa Ash‘ari (ra).
(Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 3, Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Jil, 1992], 460)
According to this narration, the administering of matters in Yemen was entrusted to these five companions.
Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal relates that when the Holy Prophet (sa) sent him to Yemen, he instructed, for every 30 cows, take a one-year-old calf as Zakat and for every 40 cows, take a two-year-old cow (the Holy Prophet (sa) was stipulating the prescribed rate of Zakat and the threshold on which Zakat becomes obligatory) and from every person who has reached the age of maturity, take one dinar or the equivalent in m‘afirah,’ which was the name of a Yemeni cloth. In fact, m‘afirah was the name of a tribe which made this cloth and thus the cloth was named after them. This narration is from Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal.
(Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Musnad Mu‘az(ra) bin Jabal, Vol. 7, p. 348, Hadith 22363, Alam ul-Kutub, Beirut, 1998) (Lughaat-ul-Hadith, Vol. 3, p. 142, Pir Muhammad Kutub Khana Aram Bagh, Karachi)
Allamah ibn Sa‘d states that Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal had a slight limp. When he went to Yemen, he led the people in prayer and whilst doing so, he extended his leg – meaning he must have placed it before him or extended it to the right or to whichever side his foot was impaired – and [those following him in prayer] also extended their legs in the same manner. When he had finished leading the prayer, Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) said, “You have done well to follow exactly as I have done; however, you must abstain from doing so in the future. I am compelled to extend my leg owing to my condition.”
(Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3, Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal… [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1990], 439)
What he meant was that the obedience which they had shown by doing exactly what he did was indeed praiseworthy. This in fact was true obedience, as whatever the imam does should be followed precisely. However, he was compelled to act in this way [i.e. to extend his leg] and this was not the practice of the Holy Prophet (sa). Whoever is not compelled [by an ailment or injury] should offer their prayers according to the commandments, teachings and practice adopted by the Holy Prophet (sa).
Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) conducted business in Yemen using money from the bait-ul-mal [treasury] and repaid his debts with the profits he made. He was the first person to conduct business with the wealth given in the way of Allah Almighty and this was done with the permission from the Holy Prophet (sa). He also accepted gifts as a result of which he eventually had 30 livestock animals.
(Sheikh Shah Moinuddin Ahmad Nadvi, Siyar al-Sahabah, Vol. 3, Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal [Karachi, Pakistan: Dar al-Isha‘ah, 2004], 505) (Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 3, Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Jil, 1992], 1404)
Thus, he used this wealth according to the permission granted by the Holy Prophet (sa), which most certainly was for the purpose of repaying his debts. He conducted business only to the extent of using the profits to repay his debts. Or if he did not use the profits for this purpose, it is also possible he would retain it as remuneration for his work [for the bait-ul-mal]. The Holy Prophet (sa) had given him permission for this, which is why he took it and used it to repay his debts. This fact seems the most accurate in that he would take a certain amount from the profits made as remuneration. Nevertheless, his actions were in line with the permission granted by the Holy Prophet (sa).