Setting
My heirs should not take a dinar or dirham. Whatever I leave behind, excluding the provision for my wives and my employees, should be spent in charity
My heirs should not take a dinar or dirham. Whatever I leave behind, excluding the provision for my wives and my employees, should be spent in charity
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "My heirs should not take a dinar or dirham. Whatever I leave behind, excluding the provision for my wives and my employees, should be spent in charity."
[Authentic hadith] [Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim]
Explanation
This Hadīth indicates that the Prophet’s heirs should not take a dinar or dirham from his property after his death, because he was a prophet, and prophets did not bequeath any wealth, as they did not pursue worldly gains. Their mission and chief concern was to guide people to the truth. If he left any money, it was to be used to support his wives and the succeeding leader or whoever oversaw the Muslims’ affairs. Anything beyond that was to be spent in charity.