Muslims, and similarly, they benefit from passing over bridges and causeways constructed with that wealth, and from the rivers and roads that have been repaired with it. The context of his words indicates that it is not restricted to the army, but rather it is spent on the interests of the Muslims. However, the army of the Muslims is prioritized because they are the most important (7) interests, for they protect the Muslims. Thus, they are given their sufficiency, and whatever remains is allocated to the most important, then the next most important, of the infrastructure of [the frontier regions and their sufficiency in terms of weapons and cavalry (8), and whatever is needed, then the most important, then the next most important, of the infrastructure of] (9) mosques, bridges, road repairs, canal maintenance, filling their breaches, and the stipends of judges, imams, muezzins, jurists, and similar things from which the Muslims derive benefit. For al-Shafi'i, there are two positions similar to what (10) we have mentioned (11). They argued that four-fifths of the Fay' belonged to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, during his lifetime, based on what Malik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathan narrated, who said: I heard Umar ibn al-Khattab, while al-Abbas and Ali were disputing before him regarding the wealth of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Umar said: The wealth of Banu al-Nadir was among that which Allah returned to His Messenger, from that which the Muslims did not urge on with horses or camels. It was (12) for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, exclusively, to the exclusion of the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to spend from it on his family for their yearly maintenance, and whatever remained, he would place into cavalry and weapons. Then, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, passed away, and Abu Bakr took charge of it in the same manner as the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had taken charge of it. Then I took charge of it in the same manner as the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and Abu Bakr. It is agreed upon (13). Except that it contains: 'He would place what remained as an endowment of the wealth.' The apparent (14) meaning of the reports of
(7) In B: "for them". (8) Al-Kura': A name that encompasses horses and weapons. (9) Dropped from B. (10) In A and B: "what". (11) In B: "we mentioned". (12) In M: "and it was". (13) Extracted by al-Bukhari, in: The Chapter on the Shield and One Who Covers Himself with the Shield of His Companion, from the Book of Jihad; and in: The Chapter on Keeping the Expenditure of a Man for the Sustenance of His Family for a Year, and How the Maintenance of the Dependents Is, from the Book of Maintenance; and in: The Chapter on the Saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: 'We are not inherited; what we leave is charity,' from the Book of Obligations (Fara'id); and in: The Chapter on What Is Disliked of Deepening and Disputing in Knowledge and Extremism in Religion and Innovations, from the Book of Adherence (I'tisam). Sahih al-Bukhari 4/46, 7/81, 82, 8/185, 186, 9/121, 122, 123; and Muslim, in: The Chapter on the Ruling of Fay', from the Book of Jihad. Sahih Muslim 3/1379. It was also extracted by Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on the Sifaya (Chosen Spoils) of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, from the Wealth, from the Book of Leadership. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/125-127, and Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 1/25, 48, 60, 208, 209. (14) In A: "so the apparent".
