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.
malik:38-16Mālik > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father

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."  

مالك:٣٨-١٦حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

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


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Ibn Mājah, Suyūṭī
ibnmajah:2523Aḥmad b. Sinān > Abū Muʿāwiyah > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > Abū Murāwiḥ > Abū Dhar

“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.' ”  

ابن ماجة:٢٥٢٣حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي مُرَاوِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الرِّقَابِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ أَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا وَأَغْلاَهَا ثَمَنًا  

suyuti:3762a

“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)   

السيوطي:٣٧٦٢a

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

[هـ] ابن ماجة [حب] ابن حبّان عن أبي ذر، [حم] أحمد [طب] الطبرانى في الكبير عن أبي أمامة