Allowance After Appointment as Khalifa (Hazrat Musleh Mau’d’s (ra) Narration)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) states:
“Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was the leader of the entire Muslim world, but what did he receive? Despite having complete control over the public funds, he never took any of it for himself. Although Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was a very successful merchant, since he had the habit that whatever wealth he received he would immediately spend it in the way of God Almighty, therefore it so happened that upon the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa) when he became the Khalifa, he did not have any money in cash at the time. The very next day after becoming the Khalifa, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) took a small bag of clothes and left in order to sell it. Hazrat Umar (ra) happened to meet him on the way and enquired what he was doing. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied that after all he had to do something in order to eat; if he did not sell those clothes, how would he provide for himself. Hazrat Umar (ra) stated that this would not be plausible, because if he spent his time selling clothes, who would fulfil the responsibilities of the Caliph? Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, ‘If I do not do this, how will I survive?’ Hazrat Umar (ra) said that he should take some allowance from the bait-ul-maal. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stated that he could not bear to take anything from the bait-ul-maal because he had no right over it. Hazrat Umar (ra) stated that when the Holy Quran had permitted that the funds of the bait-ul-maal could be spent on those who served their faith then why could he not take it. And so, an allowance was fixed for Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) from the bait-ul-maal. The amount that was fixed was just sufficient enough to cover the expense for food and clothes.”
(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 8, p. 468.)