Is the Hadith: "Whatever of this money comes to you while you are neither aspiring for it nor seeking it, then take it; and if not, then do not let your soul follow it," to be taken literally? And is refraining from taking public-donated water and food, on the pretext that it "did not come to me," considered extremism? And how can this act be reconciled with Salim’s statement: "For that reason, Ibn Umar would not ask anyone for anything, nor would he reject anything given to him"?

The agreed-upon Hadith, "So do not let yourself follow it," means that you should not seek what has not come to you. Jurists have stipulated that this prohibition indicates dislike (karahah), not outright prohibition (tahrim). Therefore, if your self is not attached to public feasts, there is no harm in eating from them. However, if eating from them is customarily considered lowly, then refrain from it. The opinions of jurists have differed regarding the ruling on responding to general invitations where the invitee is not specified. The majority hold that it is permissible to respond, while the Hanbalis consider it disliked due to the perceived lowliness involved. Ibn 'Uthaymeen, however, believes it is not disliked. Accordingly, if these feasts are set out for the general public and are not designated for a specific group, there is no harm in eating from them, unless they are designated for a particular category and you do not belong to it.