Narrated `Abdullah bin Az-Zubair:When Az-Zubair got up during the battle of Al-Jamal, he called me and I stood up beside him, and he said to me, "O my son! Today one will be killed either as an oppressor or as an oppressed one. I see that I will be killed as an oppressed one. My biggest worry is my debts. Do you think, if we pay the debts, there will be something left for us from our money?" Az-Zubair added, "O my son! Sell our property and pay my debts." Az-Zubair then willed one-third of his property and willed one-third of that portion to his sons; namely, `Abdullah's sons. He said, "One-third of the one third. If any property is left after the payment of the debts, one-third (of the one-third of what is left) is to be given to your sons." (Hisham, a sub-narrator added, "Some of the sons of `Abdullah were equal in age to the sons of Az-Zubair e.g. Khubaib and `Abbas. `Abdullah had nine sons and nine daughters at that time." (The narrator `Abdullah added:) My father (Az-Zubair) went on drawing my attention to his debts saying, "If you should fail to pay part of the debts, appeal to my Master to help you." By Allah! I could not understand what he meant till I asked, "O father! Who is your Master?" He replied, "Allah (is my Master)." By Allah, whenever I had any difficulty regarding his debts, I would say, "Master of Az-Zubair! Pay his debts on his behalf ." and Allah would (help me to) pay it. Az-Zubair was martyred leaving no Dinar or Dirham but two pieces of land, one of which was (called) Al-Ghaba, and eleven houses in Medina, two in Basra, one in Kufa and one in Egypt. In fact, the source of the debt which he owed was, that if somebody brought some money to deposit with him. Az-Zubair would say, "No, (i won't keep it as a trust), but I take it as a debt, for I am afraid it might be lost." Az-Zubair was never appointed governor or collector of the tax of Kharaj or any other similar thing, but he collected his wealth (from the war booty he gained) during the holy battles he took part in, in the company of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, `Umar, and `Uthman. (`Abdullah bin Az-Zubair added:) When I counted his debt, it turned to be two million and two hundred thousand. (The sub-narrator added:) Hakim bin Hizam met `Abdullah bin Zubair and asked, "O my nephew! How much is the debt of my brother?" `Abdullah kept it as a secret and said, "One hundred thousand," Hakim said, "By Allah! I don't think your property will cover it." On that `Abdullah said to him, "What if it is two million and two hundred thousand?" Hakim said, "I don't think you can pay it; so if you are unable to pay all of it, I will help you." Az- Zubair had already bought Al-Ghaba for one hundred and seventy thousand. `Abdullah sold it for one million and six hundred thousand. Then he called the people saying, "Any person who has any money claim on Az-Zubair should come to us in Al-Ghaba." There came to him `Abdullah bin Ja`far whom Az-Zubair owed four hundred thousand. He said to `Abdullah bin Az-Zubair, "If you wish I will forgive you the debt." `Abdullah (bin Az-Zubair) said, "No." Then Ibn Ja`far said, "If you wish you can defer the payment if you should defer the payment of any debt." Ibn Az-Zubair said, "No." `Abdullah bin Ja`far said, "Give me a piece of the land." `Abdullah bin AzZubair said (to him), "Yours is the land extending from this place to this place." So, `Abdullah bin Az-Zubair sold some of the property (including the houses) and paid his debt perfectly, retaining four and a half shares from the land (i.e. Al-Ghaba). He then went to Mu'awlya while `Amr bin `Uthman, Al-Mundhir bin Az- Zubair and Ibn Zam`a were sitting with him. Mu'awiya asked, "At what price have you appraised Al- Ghaba?" He said, "One hundred thousand for each share," Muawiya asked, "How many shares have been left?" `Abdullah replied, "Four and a half shares." Al-Mundhir bin Az-Zubair said, "I would like to buy one share for one hundred thousand." `Amr bin `Uthman said, "I would like to buy one share for one hundred thousand." Ibn Zam`a said, "I would like to buy one share for one hundred thousand." Muawiya said, "How much is left now?" `Abdullah replied, "One share and a half." Muawiya said, "I would like to buy it for one hundred and fifty thousand." `Abdullah also sold his part to Muawiya six hundred thousand. When Ibn AzZubair had paid all the debts. Az-Zubair's sons said to him, "Distribute our inheritance among us." He said, "No, by Allah, I will not distribute it among you till I announce in four successive Hajj seasons, 'Would those who have money claims on Az-Zubair come so that we may pay them their debt." So, he started to announce that in public in every Hajj season, and when four years had elapsed, he distributed the inheritance among the inheritors. Az-Zubair had four wives, and after the one-third of his property was excluded (according to the will), each of his wives received one million and two hundred thousand. So the total amount of his property was fifty million and two hundred thousand.
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 3129
In-book reference
Book 57, Hadith 38
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 4, Book 53, Hadith 358
Translation by Dr. M. Muhsin Khan · Language: EN
Sahih
It is related that 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr said, "When az-Zubayr stood awaiting the Battle of the Camel, he called me over and I went to his side. He said, 'O my son, no one will be killed today except someone wronging or someone wronged. I think that I will be killed today as one of the wronged. One of my greatest concerns is my debts. Do you think that any of our property will remain after out debts are settled?' He said, 'O my son! Sell our property and pay my debts!. Then he willed a third, and a third of it was for his sons, i.e. the sons of 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr. He said, 'A third of the third. If anything is left over of our property after paying the debts, then a third of it is for your children.' (Hisham said, "Some of the sons of 'Abdullah were the same age as the sons of az-Zubayr: Khubayb and 'Abbad. At that time he had nine sons and nine daughters.")" 'Abdullah said, "My father began to order me concerning his debts and say, 'O my son, if you are unable to settle any of it, then ask my Master for help in doing it." He said, "By Allah, I did not know what he meant so I said, 'O my father, who is your Master?' He said, 'Allah.'" He said, "Whenever I ran into a difficulty regarding his debt I said, 'O Master of az-Zubayr! Pay his debt for him!' and He would settle it. Az-Zubayr was killed without leaving a single dinar or a dirham, but only two pieces of land, one of which was al-Ghaba, and eleven houses in Madina, two in Basra, one in Kufa, and one in Egypt." He said, "The debt that he owed resulted from people bringing him money to leave in his keeping. Az-Zubayr would say, 'No, let it rather be a loan, for otherwise I fear that it might get lost.' He was never appointed to a government post of any kind nor to the collection of land-tax (kharaj) nor anything else. What he had came only from expeditions with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, or with Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman." 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr said, "When I worked out the debt he owed, I found it to be two million and two hundred thousand." Hakim ibn Hizam met 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr and said, "Nephew, how large a debt does my brother have?" I concealed it and said, "A hundred thousand." Hakim said, "By Allah, I do not think that your property will cover this amount." 'Abdullah said, "What would you think if it were two million and two hundred thousand?" He said, "I do not think you will be able to pay this. If you are unable to cover any of it, then ask me for help." He said, "Az-Zubayr had purchased al-Ghaba for one hundred and seventy thousand, and 'Abdullah sold it for one million and six hundred thousand. Then he stood up and said, 'Anyone who is owed anything by az-Zubayr should come to us at al-Ghaba.' 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far came to him, and az-Zubayr owed him four hundred thousand. He said to 'Abdullah. 'If you like, I will forgo it.' 'Abdullah said, 'No.' He said, 'If you like, you can delay payment if you want to.' 'Abdullah said, 'No.'" He said, "He said, 'So allocate me a piece of land.' 'Abdullah said, 'You can have from here to there.' 'Abdullah sold some of it and paid his debts in full and there remained four and a half shares of the land. He went to Mu'awiya while 'Amr ibn 'Uthman, al-Mundhir ibn az-Zubayr and Ibn Zam'a were with him. Mu'awiya said, 'How much have you valued al-Ghaba at?' He said, 'Each share at a hundred thousand.' He said, 'How much remains?' He said, 'Four and half shares.' Al-Mundhir ibn az-Zubayr said, 'I will take a share for a hundred thousand.' 'Amr ibn 'Uthman said, 'I will take a share for a hundred thousand.' Ibn Zam'a said, 'I will take a share for a hundred thousad.' Mu'awiya said, 'How much remains?' He said, 'A share and a half.' He said, 'I will take them for one hundred and fifty thousand.'" He said, "'Abdullah ibn Ja'far later sold his share to Mu'awiya for sixty thousand. When Ibn az-Zubayr finishing settling his debts, the sons of az-Zubayr said, 'Distribute our inheritance between us.' He said, 'No, by Allah, I will not distribute it until I have made this announcement for four years during the hajj festival: 'Anyone who has a debt owed him by az-Zubayr should come to us and we will settle it.'" He said, "He announced that every year at the festival and when the four years were up, he distributed it between them. Az-Zubayr had four wives and after the prescribed third was removed, each wife got a million and two hundred thousand. So the total amount of his property was fifty million and two hundred thousand."
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 3129
In-book reference
Book 57, Hadith 38
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 4, Book 53, Hadith 358
Translation by Aisha Bewley · Language: EN
Sahih
