Limits on bequest and reward for spending on one's family

The Prophet ﷺ came visiting me while I was (sick) in Mecca, ('Amir the sub-narrator said, and he disliked to die in the land, whence he had already migrated). He (i.e. the Prophet) said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Ibn Afra (Saʿd bin Khaula)." I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! May I will all my property (in charity)?" He said, "No." I said, "Then may I will half of it?" He said, "No". I said, "One third?" He said: "Yes, one third, yet even one third is too much. It is better for you to leave your inheritors wealthy than to leave them poor begging others, and whatever you spend for Allah's sake will be considered as a charitable deed even the handful of food you put in your wife's mouth. Allah may lengthen your age so that some people may benefit by you, and some others be harmed by you." At that time Saʿd had only one daughter.

جَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي وَأَنَا بِمَكَّةَ وَهْوَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بِالأَرْضِ الَّتِي هَاجَرَ مِنْهَا قَالَ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالشَّطْرُ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ الثُّلُثُ قَالَ فَالثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَدَعَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ وَإِنَّكَ مَهْمَا أَنْفَقْتَ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةُ الَّتِي تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِكَ وَعَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَرْفَعَكَ فَيَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ نَاسٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلاَّ ابْنَةٌ

The Prophet ﷺ visited me at Mecca while I was ill. I said (to him), "I have property; May I bequeath all my property in Allah's Cause?" He said, "No." I said, "Half of it?" He said, "No." I said, "One third of it?" He said, "One-third (is alright), yet it is still too much, for you'd better leave your inheritors wealthy than leave them poor, begging of others. Whatever you spend will be considered a Sadaqa for you, even the mouthful of food you put in the mouth of your wife. Anyhow Allah may let you recover, so that some people may benefit by you and others be harmed by you."

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي وَأَنَا مَرِيضٌ بِمَكَّةَ فَقُلْتُ لِي مَالٌ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالشَّطْرُ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثُ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ أَنْ تَدَعَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَهْمَا أَنْفَقْتَ فَهُوَ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يَرْفَعُكَ يَنْتَفِعُ بِكَ نَاسٌ وَيُضَرُّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ

I was stricken by an ailment that led me to the verge of death. The Prophet ﷺ came to pay me a visit. I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I have much property and no heir except my single daughter. Shall I give two-thirds of my property in charity?" He said, "No." I said, "Half of it?" He said, "No." I said, "Onethird of it?" He said, "You may do so) though one-third is also to a much, for it is better for you to leave your off-spring wealthy than to leave them poor, asking others for help. And whatever you spend (for Allah's sake) you will be rewarded for it, even for a morsel of food which you may put in the mouth of your wife." I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Will I remain behind and fail to complete my emigration?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "If you are left behind after me, whatever good deeds you will do for Allah's sake, that will upgrade you and raise you high. May be you will have long life so that some people may benefit by you and others (the enemies) be harmed by you." But Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt sorry for Saʿd bin Khaula as he died in Mecca. (Sufyan, a sub-narrator said that Saʿd bin Khaula was a man from the tribe of Bani 'Amir bin Lu'ai.)

مَرِضْتُ بِمَكَّةَ مَرَضًا فَأَشْفَيْتُ مِنْهُ عَلَى الْمَوْتِ فَأَتَانِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لِي مَالاً كَثِيرًا وَلَيْسَ يَرِثُنِي إِلاَّ ابْنَتِي أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِثُلُثَىْ مَالِي قَالَ لاَ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَالشَّطْرُ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ الثُّلُثُ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ كَبِيرٌ إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَرَكْتَ وَلَدَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَتْرُكَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ وَإِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً إِلاَّ أُجِرْتَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِكَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَأُخَلَّفُ عَنْ هِجْرَتِي فَقَالَ لَنْ تُخَلَّفَ بَعْدِي فَتَعْمَلَ عَمَلاً تُرِيدُ بِهِ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ ازْدَدْتَ بِهِ رِفْعَةً وَدَرَجَةً وَلَعَلَّ أَنْ تُخَلَّفَ بَعْدِي حَتَّى يَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ أَقْوَامٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ لَكِنِ الْبَائِسُ سَعْدُ ابْنُ خَوْلَةَ يَرْثِي لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ مَاتَ بِمَكَّةَ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ وَسَعْدُ بْنُ خَوْلَةَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي عَامِرِ بْنِ لُؤَىٍّ

"The Prophet used to visit him when he was in Makkah, and he did not want to die in the land from which he had emigrated. The Prophet said: 'May Allah have mercy on Sa'd bin 'Afra.' He had only one daughter, and he said: 'O Messenger of Allah, shall I bequeath all my wealth?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'Half?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'One-third?' He said: 'One-third, and one-third is a lot. For you to leave your heirs independent of means is better than if you were to leave them poor, holding out their hands to people.'"

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَعُودُهُ وَهُوَ بِمَكَّةَ وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بِالأَرْضِ الَّتِي هَاجَرَ مِنْهَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ سَعْدَ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ أَوْ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ سَعْدَ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ إِلاَّ ابْنَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ النِّصْفَ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثَ قَالَ الثُّلُثَ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَدَعَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ مَا فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ

On the authority of his father (Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas): When he (Sa'd) fell ill at Mecca (according to the version of Ibn Abi Kkalaf) - then the agreed version has: which brought him near to death - the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to visit him. He said: Messenger of Allah, I have a large amount of property, and my daughter is my only heir. May I give two-thirds (of my property) as a sadaqah (charity)? He said: No. He asked: Then a half ? He replied: No. He asked: Then one-third ? He replied: (You may will away) a third and third is a lot. To leave your heirs rich is better than to leave them poor begging from people. You will not spend anything, seeking thereby to please Allah, without being rewarded for it, even the mouthful you give your wife. I said: Messenger of Allah, shall I be left behind form immigration (to Medina)? He said: If you remain behind after me and do good works seeking the pleasure of Allah, your rank will be raised and degree increased. Perhaps you will not remain behind, and some people will benefit from you and others will be harmed by you. He then said: O Allah, complete the immigration of my Companions and do not turn them back. But miserable was Sa'd b. Khawlah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ lamented on him as he died at Mecca.

ابْنُ أَبِي خَلَفٍ بِمَكَّةَ ثُمَّ اتَّفَقَا أَشْفَى فِيهِ فَعَادَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لِي مَالاً كَثِيرًا وَلَيْسَ يَرِثُنِي إِلاَّ ابْنَتِي أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِالثُّلُثَيْنِ قَالَ لاَ قَالَ فَبِالشَّطْرِ قَالَ لاَ قَالَ فَبِالثُّلُثِ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَتْرُكَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ وَإِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً إِلاَّ أُجِرْتَ بِهَا حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِكَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَتَخَلَّفُ عَنْ هِجْرَتِي قَالَ إِنَّكَ إِنْ تُخَلَّفْ بَعْدِي فَتَعْمَلْ عَمَلاً صَالِحًا تُرِيدُ بِهِ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ لاَ تَزْدَادُ بِهِ إِلاَّ رِفْعَةً وَدَرَجَةً لَعَلَّكَ أَنْ تُخَلَّفَ حَتَّى يَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ أَقْوَامٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمْضِ لأَصْحَابِي هِجْرَتَهُمْ وَلاَ تَرُدَّهُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ لَكِنِ الْبَائِسُ سَعْدُ ابْنُ خَوْلَةَ يَرْثِي لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ مَاتَ بِمَكَّةَ

"I was ill during the year of the Conquest (of Makkah) with an illness bringing me to the brink of death. So The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to visit me, and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Indeed I have a great deal of wealth and I do not have any heirs except my daughter, so should I will all of my wealth?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'Then two-thirds of my wealth?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'Then half?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'Then a third' He said: 'No.' A third and a third is too much. If you leave your heirs without need it is better than to leave them in poverty begging from the people. Indeed you do not do any spending (on your family) except that you are rewarded for it, even the morsel of food you raise to your wife's mouth.'" He said: "I said: 'Will I be left behind from my emigration?' He said: 'You will not be left behind after me,and do righteous deeds intending Allah's Face, except that it will add to your elevation in rank. Perhaps you will remain until some people benefit from you and others will be harmed by you. O Allah! Complete the emigration of my companions and do not turn them on their heels. But the case of Sa'd bin Khawlah is sad.'" the Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt sorry for him dying in Makkah.

مَرِضْتُ عَامَ الْفَتْحِ مَرَضًا أَشْفَيْتُ مِنْهُ عَلَى الْمَوْتِ فَأَتَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لِي مَالاً كَثِيرًا وَلَيْسَ يَرِثُنِي إِلاَّ ابْنَتِي أَفَأُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَثُلُثَىْ مَالِي قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالشَّطْرُ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثُ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَدَعْ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ وَإِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً إِلاَّ أُجِرْتَ فِيهَا حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُخَلَّفُ عَنْ هِجْرَتِي قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُخَلَّفَ بَعْدِي فَتَعْمَلَ عَمَلاً تُرِيدُ بِهِ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ ازْدَدْتَ بِهِ رِفْعَةً وَدَرَجَةً وَلَعَلَّكَ أَنْ تُخَلَّفَ حَتَّى يَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ أَقْوَامٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمْضِ لأَصْحَابِي هِجْرَتَهُمْ وَلاَ تَرُدَّهُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ لَكِنِ الْبَائِسُ سَعْدُ ابْنُ خَوْلَةَ يَرْثِي لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ مَاتَ بِمَكَّةَ

"The Prophet used to visit him when he was in Makkah, and he did not want to die in the land from which he had emigrated. The Prophet said: 'May Allah have mercy on Sa'd bin 'Afra.' He had only one daughter, and he said: 'O Messenger of Allah, shall I bequeath all my wealth?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'Half?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'One-third?' He said: 'One-third, and one-third is a lot. For you to leave your heirs independent of means is better than if you were to leave them poor, holding out their hands to people.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 3628)

جَاءَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَعُودُهُ وَهُوَ بِمَكَّةَ وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بِالْأَرْضِ الَّتِي هَاجَرَ مِنْهَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَرْحَمُ اللهُ سَعْدَ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ يَرْحَمُ اللهُ سَعْدَ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ إِلا ابْنَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ؟ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَالنِّصْفُ؟ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَالثُّلُثُ؟ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَدَعَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ وَإِنَّكَ مَهْمَا أَنْفَقْتَ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِكَ وَلَعَلَّ اللهَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَكَ فَيَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ نَاسٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ came to me and visited me. He disliked the idea of dying in the land he had migrated from so I asked him, "O Messenger of Allah, should I bequeath all my wealth?" He replied, "No." I asked, "Then should I bequeath half of it?" He again replied, "No." I asked, "Should I bequeath one third of it?" He replied, "Yes, and one third is still a lot. Verily, if you leave your heirs rich, it is better for them than leaving them in need, begging people with their hands. And no matter what you spend, it is considered as charity, even if it is just a morsel that you raise to your wife. Perhaps Allah will elevate you and benefit others through you, while harming other people." And Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz informed us, narrating from Abu Amr Uthman ibn Ahmad ibn As-Sammak, narrating from Hanbal ibn Ishaq ibn Hanbal, narrating from Abu Nuaim, narrating from Sufyan ibn Saeed. He mentioned it with his chain of narrators, except that he said, "He visited me while I was ill in Mecca and he disliked the idea of dying in the land he had migrated from." Then he said, "May Allah have mercy on Ibn Afra." And he mentioned it.

جَاءَنِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي وَكَانَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بِالْأَرْضِ الَّتِي هَاجَرَ مِنْهَا فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ؟ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَالشَّطْرِ؟ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثِ؟ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَدَعَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ وَإِنَّكَ مَهْمَا أَنْفَقْتَ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِكَ وَلَعَلَّ اللهَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَكَ فَيَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ أُنَاسٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ 17781 وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ ثنا أَبُو عَمْرٍو عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ السَّمَّاكِ ثنا حَنْبَلُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ ثنا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ ثنا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ فَذَكَرَهُ بِإِسْنَادِهِ وَمَعْنَاهُ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَعُودُنِي وَأَنَا مَرِيضٌ بِمَكَّةَ وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بِالْأَرْضِ الَّتِي هَاجَرَ مِنْهَا فَقَالَ يَرْحَمُكَ اللهُ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَهُ

The Prophet ﷺ came visiting me while I was (sick) in Mecca, ('Amir the sub-narrator said, and he disliked to die in the land, whence he had already migrated). He (i.e. the Prophet) said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Ibn Afra (Saʿd bin Khaula)." I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! May I will all my property (in charity)?" He said, "No." I said, "Then may I will half of it?" He said, "No". I said, "One third?" He said: "Yes, one third, yet even one third is too much. It is better for you to leave your inheritors wealthy than to leave them poor begging others, and whatever you spend for Allah's sake will be considered as a charitable deed even the handful of food you put in your wife's mouth. Allah may lengthen your age so that some people may benefit by you, and some others be harmed by you." At that time Saʿd had only one daughter. (Using translation from Bukhārī 2742)

جَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي وَأَنَا بِمَكَّةَ وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ أَحَدُنَا بِالْأَرْضِ الَّتِي هَاجَرَ مِنْهَا فَقَالَ يَرْحَمُ اللهُ ﷻ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَبِالشَّطْرِ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَبِالثُّلُثِ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَدَعْ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ وَإِنَّكَ مَهْمَا أَنْفَقْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِكَ وَعَسَى الله ﷻ أَنْ يَنْفَعَ بِكَ قَوْمًا وَيَضُرَّ بِكَ آخَرِينَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلَّا ابْنَةٌ

"عَنْ عُمَرَ بنِ سَعْدٍ عَنْ سَعْدٍ: أَنَّ النَّبِىَّ ﷺ جَاءَهُ يَعُودُه وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بالأَرْضِ الَّتى هَاجَرَ مِنْهَا، قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ! أُوصِى بِمَالِى كُلِّهِ؟ قَالَ: لَا، قَالَ فَالشَّطْرُ؟ قَالَ: لَا: ، قَالَ: فَالثُّلُثُ، والثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ. إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَدَعْ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ بِخَيْرٍ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أنْ تَدعَهُم عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ مَا فِى أَيْدِيهِمْ، مَهْمَا أنْفَقْتَ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ، حَتَّى اللُّقْمَة تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِى امْرَأَتِكَ".