How ʿUmar received the treasure of Persia

Ibrāhīm b. ʿAbd Al-Raḥmān b. ‘Auf reports:

ʿUmar b. Al-Khattāb – Allah be pleased with him – was given the treasures of the Persian Emperor (after his conquest), ʿAbdullah b. Arqam asked, “Are you going to put this into the public treasury (bayt al-māl) until you can distribute it?” ʿUmar replied, “No by Allah, I will not take this under a roof before I have passed it on.” So they put it in the middle of the mosque and spent the night guarding it. In the morning, ʿUmar uncovered the treasure and saw such an amount of gold and silver that it almost shone; so he began to cry. ʿAbd Al-Raḥmān b. ‘Auf – Allah be pleased with him – said, “Why do you cry o Amīr of the Believers? This is a day of thanks and a day of happiness for sure.” ʿUmar replied, “Woe to you, this has never been given to a people except that it has cast enmity and hatred amongst them.” Ibn Al-Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq Vol. 2 p595, 596.

Ibn Al-Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq Vol. 2 p595, 596.