He said: Whenever food was brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he would inquire about it: "Is it a gift or is it charity?" If it were said: "It is charity," he would say to his companions: "Eat," but he would not eat. If it were said: "It is a gift," he would stretch out his hand and eat with them. In the hadith of Salman (16), when he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with dates, he said: "This is something from charity; I see you and your companions as being more deserving of it than anyone else." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to his companions: "Eat," but he did not eat. Then he came to him a second time with dates, and he said: "I have seen that you do not eat charity, and this is something I have gifted to you." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "In the name of Allah (Bismillah)," and he ate. Neither an offer nor a command for an acceptance was transmitted; rather, he asked to know whether it was charity or a gift. In most of the reports, neither an offer nor an acceptance was transmitted, and there was nothing but mu'ata (handing over) and the parting with mutual consent, which indicates its validity. If offer and acceptance were a condition in these contracts, it would be a hardship, and most of the contracts of the Muslims would be invalid, and most of their wealth would be unlawful. Furthermore, offer and acceptance are intended only to demonstrate mutual consent. When something that indicates it is found—such as bargaining and the act of exchanging—it stands in their place and suffices for them, as there is no ritual aspect (ta'abbud) involved in it.