Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that once the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) distributed something. I said: O Messenger of Allah! Those whom you have given, there are others who were more deserving than them. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: These people have given me the choice that either they will demand from me in an improper manner or they will call me miserly, whereas I am not miserly.

Sayyiduna ‘Adi bin Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I, along with some members of my tribe, presented myself before Sayyiduna ‘Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). He gave two thousand to each individual of Banu Tayy and turned away from me. Then I came before him, but he showed indifference. Then I came right in front of his face, yet he still turned away from me. Finally, I said: O Commander of the Faithful! Do you recognize me? Upon hearing this, Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) laughed so much that he lay back on his nape and then said: Yes, by Allah! I recognize you. You embraced faith when these people were persistent in disbelief. You turned towards Islam when these people had turned their backs, and you showed loyalty when these people were being treacherous. And I know that the very first charity which brightened the faces of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Companions was the charity of ‘Adi, which you brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Afterwards, Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) apologized to Sayyiduna ‘Adi and said: I have given to these people because these days they are afflicted with hunger, and they are also the chiefs of their respective tribes and have many responsibilities upon them.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave wealth to several people, but did not give anything to one individual among them. Sayyiduna Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah! You gave wealth to such-and-such people, but did not give anything to such-and-such person, even though he is also a believer? The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: Is he not a Muslim? Sayyiduna Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) repeated this three times, but the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept saying: Is he not a Muslim? Then the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sometimes it happens that I give gifts to many people, but the one who is dearest to me among them, I do not give anything to him, lest other people (because of not receiving a gift) fall headlong into Hell.