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  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to visit me during my ailment which had been aggravated during Hajjat-al- Wadaʿ. I said to him, "You see how sick I am. I have much property but have no heir except my only daughter May I give two thirds of my property in charity?"! He said, "No." I said, "Half of it?" He said, "No." I said "One third?" He said, "One third is too much, for to leave your heirs rich is better than to leave them poor, begging of others. Nothing you spend seeking Allah's pleasure but you shall get a reward for it, even for what you put in the mouth of your wife."  

جَاءَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي مِنْ وَجَعٍ اشْتَدَّ بِي زَمَنَ حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ فَقُلْتُ بَلَغَ بِي مَا تَرَى وَأَنَا ذُو مَالٍ وَلاَ يَرِثُنِي إِلاَّ ابْنَةٌ لِي أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِثُلُثَىْ مَالِي قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ بِالشَّطْرِ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ الثُّلُثُ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ أَنْ تَدَعَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَذَرَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ أُجِرْتَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى مَا تَجْعَلُ فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ  

"I became ill with a sickness from which I later recovered. The Messenger of Allah came to visit me, and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I have a great deal of wealth and I have no heir except my daughter. Shall I give two-thirds of my wealth in charity?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'Half?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'One-third?' He said: '(Give) one-third, and one-third is a lot. It is better to leave your heirs independent of means, than to leave them poor and holding out their hands to people.'"  

مَرِضْتُ مَرَضًا أَشْفَيْتُ مِنْهُ فَأَتَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لِي مَالاً كَثِيرًا وَلَيْسَ يَرِثُنِي إِلاَّ ابْنَتِي أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِثُلُثَىْ مَالِي قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالشَّطْرَ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثَ قَالَ الثُّلُثَ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَتْرُكَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ مِنْ أَنْ تَتْرُكَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ  

“I became sick during the year of the Conquest, and was at death's door. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to visit me and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I have a great deal of wealth and no one will inherit from me apart from my daughter. Can I give two thirds of my wealth in charity?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'Then half?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'One third?' He said: One third and one third is a lot. If you leave your heirs rich that is better than leaving them destitute and begging from people.”  

مَرِضْتُ عَامَ الْفَتْحِ حَتَّى أَشْفَيْتُ عَلَى الْمَوْتِ فَعَادَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ أَىْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لِي مَالاً كَثِيرًا وَلَيْسَ يَرِثُنِي إِلاَّ ابْنَتِي أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِثُلُثَىْ مَالِي قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالشَّطْرُ قَالَ لاَ قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثُ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَتْرُكَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَتْرُكَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ