Rawandi has narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that the Messenger of Allah (S) was encamped in a certain place dining with his companions, on one of his expedition from Medina, when Jibraeel came and asked him to mount, and presently they arrived a Fadak, the earth having been folded like a garment, thus shortening their way.
The people of Fadak heard the sound of horses approaching, and were so frightened that they fled to the mountains, after locking their town and giving the keys to an old woman who lived outside. Jibraeel took the keys for her, and after they had entered the city and been through the place, the angel announced to the Holy Prophet (S): “O Messenger of Allah (S), Allah has given this to you and no one has any share in it.” Then the following verse was revealed:
مَا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلٰى رَسُولِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَىٰ فَلِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْبٰى
“Whatever Allah has restored to His Apostle from the people of the towns, it is for Allah and for the Apostle, and for the near of kin…”149
Then He says:
فَمَا أَوْجَفْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ خَيْلٍ وَلَا رِكَابٍ وَلٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَلِّطُ رُسُلَهُ عَلٰى مَنْ يَشَاءُ
“…you did not press forward against it any horse or a riding camel, but Allah gives authority to His apostles against whom He pleases…”150
Since neither the Muslims fought nor had they accompanied the Prophet in Fadak. The Almighty Allah had given it to His Prophet without any fight or struggle. Jibraeel took the Prophet through their homes and orchards and then after locking the doors handed the keys to him. The Messenger of Allah (S) placed them in the scabbard and hung the sword on the camel saddle along with other goods.
Then he mounted and on their return the earth was contracted in the same manner it had been before. The Messenger of Allah (S) reached his companions while they had not even dispersed from that gathering and the Holy Prophet (S) said: I had gone to Fadak and the Almighty Allah has bestowed it to me. Hypocrites glanced at each other and gestured with their eyes (we seek refuge of Allah) that the Prophet was lying! The Messenger of Allah (S) removed the keys from the scabbard and said: These are the keys of the Castles of Fadak.
Then he set out from there and came to Medina. First of all he visited Fatima’s house and said: “The Almighty Allah has given Fadak to your father, in which Muslims have no share. I have the discretion to do whatever I like with it.
I give it to you and your heirs in perpetuity, to cancel the dower I have to pay to your mother, Khadija. Then he called for a skin and called for Amirul Momineen (a.s.) to write out a document for the same. That Fadak was a gift from the Holy Prophet (S) and he had it witnessed by Ali and Umm Ayman. Umm Ayman is a lady of Paradise. The people of Fadak agreed to pay twenty-four thousand dinars (gold coins) annually, which are about three thousand six hundred tomans of our time.