Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.

ذِكْرُ الْبَيَانِ بِأَنَّ الْيَدَ الْمُعْطِيَةَ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْيَدِ السَّائِلَةِ

ibnhibban:3363Zakariyyā b. Yaḥyá b. ʿAbd al-Raḥman al-Sājī Bi-al-Baṣrah > ʿAbd al-Wāḥid b. Ghiyāth > Ḥammād b. Salamah > ʿĀṣim b. Bahdalah > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The best charity is what is given while one is self-sufficient, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand. Let one of you start with those who depend on him. His wife will say, 'Spend on me,' and his mother will say, 'To whom will you entrust me?' And his servant will say, 'Feed me and give me employment.'"  

ابن حبّان:٣٣٦٣أَخْبَرَنَا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السَّاجِيُّ بِالْبَصْرَةِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ غِيَاثٍ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ بَهْدَلَةَ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَلْيَبْدَأْ أَحَدُكُمْ بِمَنْ يَعُولُ تَقُولُ امْرَأَتُهُ أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ وَتَقُولُ أُمُّ وَلَدِهِ إِلَى مَنْ تَكِلُنِي؟ وَيَقُولُ لَهُ عَبْدُهُ أَطْعِمْنِي وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِي»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Ṭabarānī, Suyūṭī
ahmad:15578Ibn Numayr > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām

[Machine] I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand, and let one of you start with those he is responsible for. The best charity is that which is given when one is still self-sufficient. Whoever seeks self-sufficiency, Allah will enrich him, and whoever seeks chastity, Allah will keep him chaste." So I said, "And who is it from you, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "From me." I said, "May my hand never be beneath the hand of an Arab man."  

أحمد:١٥٥٧٨حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَلْيَبْدَأْ أَحَدُكُمْ بِمَنْ يَعُولُ وَخَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللهُ وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللهُ فَقُلْتُ وَمِنْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ وَمِنِّي قَالَ حَكِيمٌ قُلْتُ لَا تَكُونُ يَدِي تَحْتَ يَدِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ أَبَدًا  

ahmad:10785ʿAbd al-Malik b. ʿAmr > Hishām > Zayd > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ said: "The best charity is what is given when one is wealthy, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand. Begin with those whom you are responsible for." Abu Hurairah was asked, "Who are those you are responsible for?" He replied, "Your wife might say, 'Feed me, or spend on me if you have doubt, for Abu 'Amir is my rival.' And your servant might say, 'Feed me and employ me.' And your daughter might ask, 'To whom will you leave me?'"  

أحمد:١٠٧٨٥حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ عَنْ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ مَا مَنْ تَعُولُ؟ قَالَ امْرَأَتُكَ تَقُولُ أَطْعِمْنِي أَوْ أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ شَكَّ أَبُو عَامِرٍ أَوْ طَلِّقْنِي وَخَادِمُكَ يَقُولُ أَطْعِمْنِي وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِي وَابْنَتُكَ تَقُولُ إِلَى مَنْ تَذَرُنِي؟  

ahmad:10818ʿAbdullāh b. Yazīd > Saʿīd > Ibn ʿAjlān > Zayd b. Aslam > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] "Narrated by the Prophet ﷺ that he said, 'The best charity is that which is given when one is wealthy, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand. Start with those whom you are obliged to provide for.' It was said, 'Who are those whom we are obliged to provide for, O Messenger of Allah?' He said, 'Your wife, from whom you take obedience (i.e., fulfill her rights) saying, 'Feed me, otherwise divorce me.' Your neighbor said, 'Feed me and employ me.' And your child said, 'To whom will you leave me?'"  

أحمد:١٠٨١٨حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ عَجْلَانَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ مِنْهَا عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ فَقِيلَ مَنْ أَعُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ امْرَأَتُكَ مِمَّنْ تَعُولُ تَقُولُ أَطْعِمْنِي وَإِلَّا فَارِقْنِي وَجَارِيَتُكَ تَقُولُ أَطْعِمْنِي وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِي وَوَلَدُكَ يَقُولُ إِلَى مَنْ تَتْرُكُنِي  

ذِكْرُ الْخَبَرِ الدَّالِّ عَلَى أَنَّ نَفَقَةَ الْمَرْءِ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ نَفَقَتِهِ عَلَى أَقْرِبَائِهِ

ibnhibban:4243Ibn al-Junayd Bibust > Qutaybah > Bakr b. Muḍar > Ibn ʿAjlān from his father > Abū Hurayrah

"The best of charity is that which is given when you are self-sufficient, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and start with those for whom you are responsible." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2534)  

ابن حبّان:٤٢٤٣أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ الْجُنَيْدِ بِبُسْتَ حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ مُضَرَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ»  

tabarani:3091al-Ḥusayn b. Isḥāq al-Tustarī > ʿUthmān b. Abū Shaybah > ʿAbdah b. Sulaymān > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand, and one should start with those who are dependent on him. The best charity is that which is given while one is self-sufficient, and whoever seeks chastity, Allah will assist him with it, and whoever seeks self-sufficiency, Allah will make him self-sufficient."  

الطبراني:٣٠٩١حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ التُّسْتَرِيُّ ثنا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ثنا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَلْيَبْدَأْ أَحَدُكُمْ بِمَنْ يَعُولُ خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللهُ وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللهُ ﷻ»  

tabarani:3092Zakariyyā b. Yaḥyá al-Sājy > Aḥmad b. Saʿīd al-Hamdānī > Ibn Wahb > Saʿīd b. ʿAbd al-Raḥman al-Jumaḥī Wayaḥyá b. ʿAbdullāh b. Sālim > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām

[Machine] He heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand, and let one of you begin with the person he provides for. The best charity is that which is given in a state of wealth, and whoever refrains, Allah will make him abstain, and whoever seeks sufficiency, Allah will make him self-sufficient."  

الطبراني:٣٠٩٢حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ يَحْيَى السَّاجيُّ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ ثنا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْجُمَحِيُّ وَيَحْيَى بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَلْيَبْدَأْ أَحَدُكُمْ بِمَنْ يَعُولُ وَخَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللهُ وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللهُ ﷻ»  

tabarani:3093Ismāʿīl b. al-Ḥasan al-Khaffāf al-Miṣrī > Aḥmad b. Ṣāliḥ > Anas b. ʿIyāḍ > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām b. Khūwaylid

[Machine] He heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand, and one of you should start with those who depend on him. The best charity is giving from what is sufficient, and the person who refrains from asking, Allah will make him self-sufficient, and the one who is self-sufficient, Allah will make him rich."  

الطبراني:٣٠٩٣حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْخَفَّافُ الْمِصْرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى أَنَسِ بْنِ عِيَاضٍ حَدَّثَنِي هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامِ بْنِ خُوَيْلِدٍ

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَلْيَبْدَأْ أَحَدُكُمْ بِمَنْ يَعُولُ وَخَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللهُ وَمَنِ اسْتَغْنَى أَغْنَاهُ اللهُ»  

suyuti:13965a
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السيوطي:١٣٩٦٥a

"خَيْرُ الصدقِة مَا كانَ عَن ظَهْرِ غِنًى، واليَدُ العُلْيَا خيْرٌ مِنَ اليَدِ السُّفْلَى، وابْدَأْ بِمن تعول" فقيل: يا رسول اللَّه: مَنْ أَعُولُ؟ قال: "أمرأَتُكَ ممن تَعُولُ، تَقُولُ: أَطعمنى وَإِلَّا فارِقْنى، جَارِيتُك تَقُول: أَطعمنى واستعملنى، وَلَدُكَ يقول: إِلى منْ تتركنى؟ ".  

[حم] أحمد [قط] الدارقطنى في السنن بإِسناد صحيح