The best charity is spending on one’s family and in Allah’s cause

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The best dinar a man spends is a dinar he spends on his family; and a dinar a man spends on his ˹riding˺ animal in the path of Allah; and a dinar he spends on his companions in the path of Allah.”

Abu Qilabah said: And he began with the family. Then Abu Qilabah said: And what man has a greater reward than a man who spends on young family ˹members˺, keeping them chaste, or through whom Allah benefits them and makes them self-sufficient?

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ دِينَارٍ يُنْفِقُهُ الرَّجُلُ، دِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ، وَدِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، وَدِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ».

قَالَ أَبُو قِلَابَةَ: وَبَدَأَ بِالْعِيَالِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو قِلَابَةَ: وَأَيُّ رَجُلٍ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا مِنْ رَجُلٍ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى عِيَالٍ صِغَارٍ، يُعِفُّهُمْ، أَوْ يَنْفَعُهُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَيُغْنِيهِمْ؟