SECTION ON ZAKAT · 42 – LENDING TO ANOTHER FOR THEIR BENEFIT
Abū Kabshat as-Sululī, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
I heard Abdullah ibn Umar say: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘There are forty good character traits. The most superior of them is entrusting a goat so that they may benefit from its milk. Whoever acts upon one of these traits hoping for reward and confirming the promised recompense, Allah will protect him with it into Paradise.’”
Abū Dāwūd says: In the narration of Musaddad, Hasan said: “We recounted returning greetings to anyone who greets except a goat’s bleating, saying ‘May Allah have mercy on you’ to one who sneezes, removing obstacles from the paths of those passing by, and similar traits, but we were unable to reach fifteen [traits].”
EXPLANATION:
Meniha: Entrusting a sheep, goat, or camel to a poor person for a period so that they may benefit from its milk. It is also entrusting a grape vine, a date palm, and the dates and fruit upon it to a poor person.