It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jarir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The collector of Zakat should return from you people pleased.

Sayyiduna Awf bin Malik Ashja'i (may Allah be pleased with him) says: One day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to us, while he had a staff in his hand. There were clusters of dates hanging in the mosque, and in one of the clusters there were dry and inferior dates. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) struck that cluster with his staff and said: If the one giving this cluster in charity had wished, he could have given better charity from it. This person will eat only worthless dates on the Day of Resurrection. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned towards us and said: O people of Madinah! A time will come when you will leave this city for forty years for the birds and wild beasts. The narrator says: I said that Allah knows best, but he said that by“(awaafi)”the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) meant birds and wild beasts. We used to say: Surely this is the same thing which the non-Arabs call“karaaki.”

Abu Mulaikh narrates from his father that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in a house: Verily, Allah does not accept prayer without ablution, nor charity from misappropriated wealth.

Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) has also narrated a similar tradition from the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When a servant gives charity from lawful earnings, Allah Almighty accepts it and takes it in His right hand and keeps increasing it, just as one of you raises his mare or she-camel or calf. A person gives only a morsel in charity, but in Allah’s hand (according to one narrator, in Allah’s pouch) it keeps increasing until it becomes as big as a mountain. So, give charity.

(Second chain) The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: When a believing servant gives charity from lawful earnings, and Allah Almighty accepts only what is lawful, and only the lawful ascends towards the sky, in any case, Allah Almighty takes it in His hand and nurtures it just as one of you raises his foal, until a single date becomes as large as a great mountain.

Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Whoever gives charity from lawful earnings, even if it is equal to a single date, and only lawful things ascend to Allah Almighty, then Allah Almighty accepts it with His right hand and continues to nurture it for its owner, just as one of you raises his foal, until that single date becomes equal to a mountain.

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.