I asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Which deed is best?” He said, “Belief in Allah and striving in His cause.” I said, “Then which slave is best to free?” He said, “The one with the highest price and the most valued by his people.” I said, “And if I cannot do that?” He said, “Help a craftsman, or do something for one who has poor judgement or is incompetent.” I said, “And if I cannot do that?” He said, “Keep people safe from your harm, for that is a charity you give on your own behalf.”

سَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَىُّ الْعَمَلِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ: «إِيمَانٌ بِاللَّهِ، وَجِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِهِ» قُلْتُ: فَأَىُّ الرِّقَابِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ: «أَغْلاَهَا ثَمَنًا وَأَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا» قُلْتُ: فَإِنْ لَمْ أَفْعَلْ؟ قَالَ: «تُعِينُ صَانِعًا أَوْ تَصْنَعُ لِأَخْرَقَ» قَالَ: فَإِنْ لَمْ أَفْعَلْ؟ قَالَ: «تَدَعُ النَّاسَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ تَصَدَّقُ بِهَا عَلَى نَفْسِكَ»

[AI] I asked, "O Messenger of Allah, which action is the best?" He replied, "Belief in Allah and striving in His cause." I then asked, "O Messenger of Allah, which slaves are the best?" He said, "Those whose lives are most valuable and whose ransom is the highest." I asked, "And if I cannot find any?" He said, "Then help a worker who is in need, or work yourself so you can provide for the destitute." I asked, "And if I am not able to do that?" He said, "Refrain from causing harm to others, as this is a charity you give on behalf of yourself."

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَيُّ الْعَمَلِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ إِيمَانٌ بِاللهِ وَجِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِهِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَأَيُّ الرِّقَابِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ أَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا وَأَغْلَاهَا ثَمَنًا قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ أَجِدْ؟ قَالَ تُعِينُ صَانِعًا أَوْ تَصْنَعُ لِأَخْرَقَ وَقَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ أَسْتَطِعْ؟ قَالَ كُفَّ أَذَاكَ عَنِ النَّاسِ فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ تَصَدَّقُ بِهَا عَنْ نَفْسِكَ

[AI] He informed him that he said, "O Messenger of Allah, which action is the best?" He said, "Faith in Allah and striving in His cause." He said, "Which type of slavery is the best?" He said, "Freeing a slave who is most valuable and most beloved to his family." He said, "What if I am unable to do so?" He said, "Assist the one who is in need or do good for the disabled." He said, "What if I am weak?" He said, "Refrain from doing evil, for it is a charity that you do upon yourself."

أخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَيُّ الْعَمَلِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ إِيمَانٌ بِاللهِ وَجِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِهِ قَالَ فَأَيُّ الرِّقَابِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ أَغْلَاهَا ثَمَنًا وَأَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا قَالَ أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ لَمْ أَفْعَلْ؟ قَالَ تُعِينُ صَانِعًا أَوْ تَصْنَعُ لِأَخْرَقَ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ ضَعُفْتُ؟ قَالَ تُمْسِكُ عَنِ الشَّرِّ فَإِنَّهُ صَدَقَةٌ تَصَّدَّقُ بِهَا عَلَى نَفْسِكَ

Malik related to me from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father from A'isha, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked what was the most excellent kind of slave to free. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ answered, "The most expensive and the most valuable to his master."

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ سُئِلَ عَنِ الرِّقَابِ أَيُّهَا أَفْضَلُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَغْلاَهَا ثَمَنًا وَأَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا

[AI] I said, "O Messenger of Allah, which action is best?" He said, "Faith in Allah and striving in His cause." I asked, "Which slaves are better?" He said, "The ones who are most valuable to their masters and have the highest prices." I said, "But if I am not able to do so?" He said, "Then help a worker or make something for someone lame." I said, "And if I am weak in that?" He said, "Then refrain from evil, for it is a charity that you give to yourself."

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ الْعَمَلِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ «إِيمَانٌ بِاللَّهِ وَجِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِهِ» قَالَ قُلْتُ فَأَيُّ الرِّقَابِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ «أَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا وَأَغْلَاهَا ثَمَنًا» قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ أَفْعَلْ قَالَ «تُعِينُ صَانِعًا أَوْ تَصْنَعُ لِأَخْرَقَ» قُلْتُ فَإِنْ ضَعُفْتُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «فَدَعِ الشَّرَّ فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ تَصَدَّقُ بِهَا عَلَى نَفْسِكَ»

[AI] He informed him that he said: "O Messenger of Allah, which deed is best?" He said: "Belief in Allah and Jihad in His cause." He said: "Which slaves are best?" He said: "The most expensive and valuable among them to their owners."

أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَيُّ الْعَمَلِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ «إِيمَانٌ بِاللهِ وَجِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِهِ» قَالَ فَأَيُّ الرِّقَابِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ «أَغْلَاهَا ثَمَنًا وَأَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا»

[AI] He asked the Prophet ﷺ, "Which action is best?" He replied, "Faith in Allah and striving in the cause of Allah." He then asked, "Which slaves are best?" He said, "The most expensive of them and the dearest to their families."

أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ نَبِيَّ اللهِ ﷺ أَيُّ الْعَمَلِ خَيْرٌ؟ قَالَ «إِيمَانٌ بِاللهِ وَجِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ» قَالَ فَأَيُّ الرِّقَابِ خَيْرٌ؟ قَالَ «أَغْلَاهَا ثَمَنًا وَأَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا»

“I said: 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which slave is best?' He said: ‘The one who is most precious to his master and most valuable in price.' ” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 2523)

"أفْضَلُ الرِّقابِ: أغْلاهَا ثمنًا، وأنْفَسُها عندَ أهْلِها" .

I asked the Prophet, "What is the best deed?" He replied, "To believe in Allah and to fight for His Cause." I then asked, "What is the best kind of manumission (of slaves)?" He replied, "The manumission of the most expensive slave and the most beloved by his master." I said, "If I cannot afford to do that?" He said, "Help the weak or do good for a person who cannot work for himself." I said, "If I cannot do that?" He said, "Refrain from harming others for this will be regarded as a charitable deed for your own good." (Using translation from Bukhārī 2518)

"أفْضَلُ الْعَمَل: إيمانٌ بالله وجهادٌ في سبيلِ الله، قيل: فأيُّ الرقاب أفْضَلُ؟ قال: أنفَسُهَا عنْدَ أَهْلِها، وأغلاها ثمنًا، قيل: فإِنْ لم أَجِدْ؟ قال: تُعينُ صانِعًا، أو تَصْنَعُ لأخْرَقَ قال: فإِن لم أَستطع؟ قال: كُفَّ أذَاكَ عن الناسِ؛ فإِنَّها صدقةٌ تَصَدَّقُ بها على نَفْسِكَ".

("أكثرها ثمنًا، وأنفسُها عند أهلها ".