Saying · during the caliphate of Abu Bakr
Who am I to prefer one over another? Only Allah knows who has more taqwa.
Said on instituting equal stipends for all the sahaba from the Bayt al-Mal.
~During the caliphate of Abu Bakr, continuing under Umar (c. 633 CE) · 12 AH
Abu Bakr, as caliph, gave every sahabi an equal stipend from the Bayt al-Mal, saying it was not his place to prefer one believer over another when only Allah knows who has the most taqwa. When Umar became caliph two years later, he instead graded stipends by seniority of conversion, placing himself at only the third grade. As one of the earliest converts, Khabbab ibn al-Aratt received one of the highest stipends and used it to build a modest house in Kufa, keeping an open treasury from which anyone in need could take without question.
Other events recorded in 12 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
Who am I to prefer one over another? Only Allah knows who has more taqwa.
Said on instituting equal stipends for all the sahaba from the Bayt al-Mal.
Received one of the highest stipends as one of the earliest converts, and built a modest house in Kufa, keeping an open treasury from which anyone in need could take without question.
Those who accepted Islam earliest will receive the highest pay; the next in seniority the next grade; and so on.
This graded system placed Umar himself only in the third grade, reflecting that he was not doing this to prefer himself.