You Have No Right To Give Away Something That Never Belonged To You

Ever did that thing?
You know that time when someone asks for this particular thing that (probably) your father owns, and you’re like… “Ah okay take it, I’m sure my father won’t mind.”

I know, we did that or somehow we’ve done that once or twice… who cares right? Well, your soul does…Allah does. Angels record that.

It is how we take care of things that Allah Azza Wa Jall blessed us with. Yes, it’s a test within a blessing. 
Today, I would like to remind you of a story that happened during the time of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam that would make you realize that these minute things that we may have done or we may have been doing actually leaves a great impact in our lives.
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One night, the enemies carried out a raid on the city of Madinah and as they were on their way out they seized the camel of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam and a woman from the Ansar.

The name of this camel was ‘Al-’Adhba and she was especially swift and strong so much that every time she competed in a competition or marched with the army, she would always come first. For that reason, she was famous among the people of Madinah.

Once the raiders reached their village that night, they tied up the Ansar woman in rope and she began to question how she would ever be freed from captivity. The raiders were now exhausted and so they slept in front of their houses and gardens, while the woman remained awake. Some way or another she was able to untie the rope and free herself, then looking left and right and seeing that the raiders were fast asleep, she searched fro a camel to take her back to al Madinah.

As she drew close to one of the camels, it began to forth at the mouth and because the woman feared that the raiders would wake up she moved on to another camel, and another, and another but they all reacted in same way. Eventually she got to the came of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam, ‘Al-’Adhba’, and because she was a tamed camel, she stayed quiet. Hence, the woman fastened on its saddle, mounted it and then signalled for it to move, which it did.

In this course, strong winds blew fiercely in the direction of Madinah but ‘Al-’Adhba’ was a camel that was swift and shrewd and was able to find its way back to Madinah. The raiders had woken up and tried to pursue them but they already reached a considerable distance and couldn’t catch up anymore, so they returned home disappointed.

The woman felt safe and was overcome with joy and said: “O Allah, I vow to you that if you save me by means of this camel, I will sacrifice it for you.”

After reaching Madinah, the people recognised the Prophet Muhammad’s Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam camel. The woman then went home and the people took the camel to the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam. Later, the woman came and asked for the camel so that she could slaughter it. The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam said, “how evil is the reward you give it! Allah saved you on it and now you want to slaughter it!”

The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam said: “A vow is not valid if it is in disobedience to Allah, or with that which one does not own.” 
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Yes, this might be of a different situation, but take the thought that you can’t take something that is not yours, so how much more of giving? Astagfirullah.

These things may be so simple that we sometimes do it everyday, thinking that those people won’t mind, but the truth is these engulfs the concept of Amanah between us and the person.

So, next time someone asks, a phone call or a text message doesn’t take much effort for you to ask permission right? So ask before you give for you have no right to give away something that never belonged to you.
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And we pray that Allah Azza Wa Jall enlightens our hearts more on understanding the concept of Amanah and to be able to fulfill it rightly and justly.

Aameen Yaa Rabb