Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Hazrat Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنهما narrates:
When Hazrat رضي الله تعالى عنه
stood on the battlefield on the Day of Jamal, he called me. When I came and stood beside him, he addressed me saying, “O my son! There is nobody who will be killed today except that he will either be an oppressor or oppressed, and my only thought regarding myself is that I will be killed today in the state that I am oppressed. Indeed, my greatest concern is definitely my debts. Do you think that our debts will leave any portion of our wealth remaining?” Hazrat Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه thereafter said, “O my son! Sell our wealth and settle my debts.”
Hazrat Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه then proceeded to make a wasiyyat (bequest) of one third of his estate to be given to the poor. However, he instructed that the one third of his estate which should be given in charity be taken and split into three portions. Two portions of this third should be given to the poor, and one portion of this third should be given to the children of Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه (i.e. he made a bequest for his grandchildren from the one third of his wealth). Hazrat Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه said, “If any wealth remains from our estate after settling the debt, then give one third to your children (i.e. from the one third that I have stipulated for the poor, give two portions to the poor and give one portion to your children).”
Hishaam, the grandson of Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه, has mentioned, “Some of the children of Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه were equal in age to some of the children of Hazrat Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه Khubaib and ‘Abbaad, and Hazrat Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه had nine sons and nine daughters at that time.”
Note: On account of some of the children of Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه being of the age where they had their own dependants and household, Hazrat Zubair رضي الله تعالى عنه wished to stipulate a separate portion of his estate for them by means of a wasiyyat, which was permissible as they were not heirs.
Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه then began to advise me regarding his debt saying, “O my son! If you are unable to pay any portion of the debt then seek the assistance of my ‘Mowla’ in settling that portion.” By Allah! I did not understand what he meant (as the word ‘Mowla’ has different meanings) until I asked him, “O my beloved father! Who is your Mowla?” Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه answered, “Allah!” By the oath of Allah! I did not fall into any difficulty in settling his debt except that I made du‘aa saying, “O Mowla of Zubair رضي الله عنه! Fulfill his debt for him!” As a result of making this du‘aa, Allah Ta‘ala would soon assist us to settle the debt.
Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه was thereafter martyred and he left neither Dinaars nor Dirhams (in his estate). All he left were a few properties, among which were his property in Ghaabah, eleven properties in Madinah Munawwarah, two properties in Basrah, one property in Kufah and one property in Egypt.
The only reason that he had incurred debts was that a person would bring wealth to him and ask him to safeguard it as amaanah (a trust). Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه would tell the person, “No (i.e. I will not keep it as amaanah)! Rather, it is a loan, as I fear that it may be lost and destroyed (i.e. if I keep it as amaanah and it is lost or destroyed, and the loss is neither my fault nor through my negligence, then the law of Shari‘ah is that the one in whose possession the amaanah was kept will not be liable for it, and you will have to bear the loss. It is for this reason that I wish to take it as a loan, so that in the event of it being lost or destroyed, I will be liable to replace it, and this will be in your interest. In this way, your wealth will be completely secure and safeguarded, and if any person’s wealth is destroyed, there will be no suspicion leveled against me).
Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه had never accepted the post of governor, had never become a tax collector and had never accepted any other form of position (through which he could have earned wealth. Hence, all these properties that he owned had been earned through no other avenue), except that he had participated in Jihaad with Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, or with Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, Hazrat ‘Umar رضي الله عنه or Hazrat ‘Uthmaan رضي الله عنه (hence, he had purchased these properties through the wealth that he had earned through Jihaad). Hazrat ‘Abdulah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما thereafter said, “When I calculated his debt, I found it amounting to 2.2 million.”
Sometime thereafter, Hazrat Hakeem bin Hizaam رضي الله عنه met Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما and asked him, “O my nephew! How much is the debt that my brother owes?” Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما did not disclose the entire amount (as he did not want Hazrat Hakeem رضي الله عنه to think that he was needy or for him to have an ill opinion of Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه for leaving his son with such a large debt to settle) and thus he merely replied, “One hundred thousand.” Hearing this, Hazrat Hakeem رضي الله عنه exclaimed, “By Allah! I do not think that your wealth will be able to bear this debt!” (When Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه saw that Hazrat Hakeem رضي الله عنه considered the amount of one hundred thousand to be too great for him to pay, he felt it necessary to now disclose the entire amount and also assure him that he would manage paying it. Hence,) Hazrat ‘Abdullah رضي الله عنه said, “Tell me, what if it was 2.2 million?” Hazrat Hakeem رضي الله عنه responded, “I do not think that you will manage this. If you are unable to pay any portion of the debt, come to me for assistance.”
Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه had purchased the property of Ghaabah for one hundred and seventy thousand. Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما sold it for 1.6 million (by dividing Ghaabah into sixteen shares and selling each share for one hundred thousand).
When he was selling the shares of Ghaabah, Hazrat ‘Abdullah رضي الله عنه stood and announced, “All those who are owed a right by Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه should come to us at Ghaabah.” Thus, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far رضي الله عنه, who was owed four hundred thousand by Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه, came to him. He said to Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه, “If you wish, I will forego the debt for you.” Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه replied, “No.” Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far رضي الله عنه thus said, “If you wish, I will delay the debt so that it is among the last debts that you settle, if you are happy will allowing me to delay accepting my haq.” Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه once again replied, “No.” Hence, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far رضي الله عنه said, “Then demarcate a portion (of Ghaabah) for me.” Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه thus demarcated a portion of the property (equal to four parts of the sixteen parts into which he had divided the property) in Ghaabah for Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far رضي الله عنه telling him, “Your portion is from here until here.”
In another narration, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far رضي الله عنه offered to waive the debt. Thereafter, when Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه did not accept this, he said, “Give me your sandals in payment of the debt.” When Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه declined even this offer, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far رضي الله عنه said, “In that case, the debt will remain upon you until the Day of Qiyaamah (as you do not have any wealth to pay me).” Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه then offered to give Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far رضي الله عنه a portion of land in payment of the debt. (Al Ma’rifah wa-Taareekh vol. 2 pg.413)
In this manner, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما sold some of their wealth (comprising of some portions of Ghaabah as well a few other properties) and completely settled the debts. (After settling the debts) four and a half shares of Ghaabah still remained. Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما thus went to Hazrat Mu‘aawiyah رضي الله عنه while ‘Amr bin ‘Uthmaan, Munzir bin Zubair and ibn Zam‘ah were with Hazrat Mu‘aawiyah رضي الله عنه. Hazrat Mu‘aawiyah رضي الله عنه asked Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه, “How much has Ghaabah been valued at?” Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه answered, “Every share is worth one hundred thousand.” Hazrat Mu‘aawiyah رضي الله عنه next asked, “How many shares remain?” Hazrat ‘Abdullah رضي الله عنه replied, “Four and a half.” Hearing this, Munzir bin Zubair said, “I take one share for one hundred thousand”, ‘Amr bin ‘Uthmaan said, “I take one share for one hundred thousand”, and ibn Zam‘ah said, “I take one share for one hundred thousand.” After they had each purchased their shares, Hazrat Mu‘aawiyah رضي الله عنه asked, “How many shares remain?” When Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما informed him that one and a half shares remained, he said, “I take it for one hundred and fifty thousand.”
As for Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far رضي الله عنه, he sold his share of Ghaabah to Hazrat Mu‘aawiyah رضي الله عنه for six hundred thousand (thus recouping the four hundred thousand that was owed to him and making a further two hundred thousand profit).
When Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه had completed settling the debt, the heirs of Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه said to him, “Distribute our inheritance between us.” However, he replied saying, “By Allah! I will not distribute it between you until I do not first make the following announcement during the season of Haj for four years, ‘Behold! Whoever is owed a debt by Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه should come to us, we will fulfill it.” He thus began to make this announcement every year during the occasion of Haj. When the four years had elapsed, he distributed the estate between the heirs.
Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه had four wives (who were inheriting from him). After one third of the estate was separated (for the wasiyyat), each wife received 1.2 million as her individual share. The entire estate of Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه (before settling the debts and separating the one third of the wasiyyat, and prior to the four years of announcing for creditors to come forward) was worth 50.2 million.
Note:
- The four wives combined share equaled one eighth of the entire estate. Since each wife received 1.2 million, their combined share equaled 4.8 million. Hence, 4.8 million was one eighth of the estate. According to this figure, the estate was worth 38.4 million. However, this figure represents just two thirds of the estate as one third of the estate was given as wasiyyat before distributing the inheritance among the heirs. Thus, the total estate reached 57.6 million. Bearing in mind that this was the total before the debt of 2.2 million was paid, we arrive at the conclusion that the gross total of the estate was 59.8 million dirhams.
Hence, in the period of four years during which Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه announced for creditors to claim the money owed to them, the estate continued to grow (due to the barakah in this wealth e.g. perhaps through rental) until it finally increased from 50.2 million to 59.8 million dirhams (which is currently worth one billion five hundred and seventy four million six hundred and twenty two thousand five hundred and four rand).
- The reason for Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما announcing for creditors to claim any haq owed to them for four years was that in that era, it would take a person departing from Makkah Mukarramah two years to reach the furthest land and two years to return. Hence, if his announcement took two years to reach a creditor who lived in a distant land, the creditor would have the sufficient period of two years to come to Makkah Mukarramah or send a message of his claim with someone.
(Saheeh Bukhaari #3129, Kashful Baari pg. 279)
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