أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنْ سَعْدٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَاتَتْ أُمِّي وَعَلَيْهَا نَذْرٌ فَسَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْضِيَهُ عَنْهَا.
"Sufyan narrated to us from Az-Zuhri, from 'Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah, from Ibn 'Abbas, that Sa'd said: 'My mother died and there was an (outstanding) vow that she had to fulfill. I asked the Prophet and he told me to fulfill it on her behalf.'"
"Sa'd bin 'Ubadah Al-Ansari consulted the Messenger of Allah about an (outstanding) vow that his mother had to fulfill, but she died before doing so. The Messenger of Allah said: 'Fulfill it on her behalf.'"
Sa'd bin 'Ubadah came to the Prophet and said: "My mother has died and she had a vow to fulfill but she did not do so." He said: "Fulfill it on her behalf."
"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, my mother has died; shall I give in charity on her behalf?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'What kind of charity is best?' He said: 'Providing drinking water.'"
"O Messenger of Allah, my mother has died; can I give charity on her behalf?" He said: "Yes." He said: "What kind of charity is best?" He said: "Providing drinking water." And that is the drinking-fountain of Sa'd in Al-Madinah.
"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'O Abu Dharr, I think that you are weak, and I like for you what I like for myself. Do not accept a position of Amir over two people, and do not agree to be the guardian of an orphan's property.'"
"I am poor and I do not have anything, and I have an orphan (under my care)." He said: "Eat from the property of your orphan without being extravagant, wasteful or keeping it as capital for yourself."
"When these Verses were revealed - 'And come not near to the orphan's property, except to improve it,' and 'Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans' - the people avoided the property and food of the orphans. That caused hardship to the Muslims and they complained about that to the Prophet. Then Allah revealed: 'And they ask you concerning orphans. Say: The best thing is to work honestly in their property, and if you mix your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers. And Allah knows him who means mischief (e.g. to swallow their property) from him who means good (e.g. to save their property). And if Allah had wished, He could have put you into difficulties.'"
"Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans" -A man would have an orphan in his care, and he would keep his food, drink and vessels separate. This caused hardship to the Muslims, so Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed: "And they ask you concerning orphans. Say: The best thing is to work honestly in their property, and if you mix your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers" (in religion), so it is permissible for you to mix with them.