"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؟ ".
See similar narrations below:
Collected by Bukhārī, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī"The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The best alms is that which is given when one is rich, and a giving hand is better than a taking one, and you should start first to support your dependents.' A wife says, 'You should either provide me with food or divorce me.' A slave says, 'Give me food and enjoy my service." A son says, "Give me food; to whom do you leave me?" The people said, "O Abu Huraira! Did you hear that from Messenger of Allah ﷺ ?" He said, "No, it is from my own self."
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا تَرَكَ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ تَقُولُ الْمَرْأَةُ إِمَّا أَنْ تُطْعِمَنِي وَإِمَّا أَنْ تُطَلِّقَنِي وَيَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ أَطْعِمْنِي وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِي وَيَقُولُ الاِبْنُ أَطْعِمْنِي إِلَى مَنْ تَدَعُنِي فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ سَمِعْتَ هَذَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ هَذَا مِنْ كِيسِ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ
[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?'"
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؟
[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?'"
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 الْبَيَانِ بِأَنَّ الْيَدَ الْمُعْطِيَةَ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْيَدِ السَّائِلَةِ
[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.'"
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»
[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The best of charity is what is given while one is affluent, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and start with those who are dependent on you." The woman says, "Either you spend on me or divorce me," and the son says, "Whom should I rely on?", and the slave says, "Spend on me and make use of me." It was said, "O Abu Huraira, this is from the Prophet ﷺ." He said, "No, this is from my pocket."
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ» تَقُولُ الْمَرْأَةُ إِمَّا أَنْ تُنْفِقَ عَلَيَّ أَوْ تُطَلِّقَنِي وَيَقُولُ الِابْنُ إِلَى مَنْ تَكِلُنِي وَيَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِي قِيلَ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ هَذَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «لَا هَذَا مِنْ كِيسِي»
[Machine] Narrated by Prophet Mohammed (PBUH): "The upper hand is better than the lower hand and start with those who depend on you." Zaid asked Abu Hurairah, "Who are those who depend on you, O Abu Hurairah?" Abu Hurairah replied, "Your wife says, 'Spend on me or divorce me,' and your servant says, 'Feed me and employ me,' and your son says, 'To whom will you leave me?'"
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ» قَالَ زَيْدٌ فَسُئِلَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ مَنْ تَعُولُ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ؟ قَالَ امْرَأَتُكَ تَقُولُ أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ أَوْ طَلِّقْنِي وَعَبْدُكَ يَقُولُ «أَطْعِمْنِي وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِي» وَابْنُكَ يَقُولُ «إِلَى مَنْ تَذَرُنِي»
[Machine] Narrated by the Prophet ﷺ, he said, "The best charity is that given when one is still prosperous, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand. Begin with those who are under your responsibility." It was asked, "Who are those under my responsibility, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "Your wife is among those under your responsibility." She says, "Feed me, otherwise divorce me." Your servant says, "Feed me and employ me." Your child says, "Who will take care of me?"
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ 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 خَادِمُكَ يَقُولُ أَطْعِمْنِي وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِي وَوَلَدُكَ يَقُولُ إِلَى مَنْ تَتْرُكُنِي؟
[Machine] On the authority of the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , who said: "The best of charity is that given when one is wealthy, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand. Begin with those who depend on you." He was asked, "Who are those who depend on me, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "Your wife says, 'Feed me, or else divorce me,' and your servant says, 'Feed me and employ me,' and your child says, 'Who will take care of me if you leave me?' This is how it is."
عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ مِنْهَا عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ قَالَ وَمَنْ أَعُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ امْرَأَتُكَ تَقُولُ أَطْعِمْنِي وَإِلَّا فَارِقْنِي خَادِمُكَ يَقُولُ أَطْعِمْنِي وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِي وَلَدُكَ يَقُولُ إِلَى مَنْ تَتْرُكُنِي؟ هَكَذَا
"The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The best alms is that which is given when one is rich, and a giving hand is better than a taking one, and you should start first to support your dependents.' A wife says, 'You should either provide me with food or divorce me.' A slave says, 'Give me food and enjoy my service." A son says, "Give me food; to whom do you leave me?" The people said, "O Abu Huraira! Did you hear that from Messenger of Allah ﷺ ?" He said, "No, it is from my own self." (Using translation from Bukhārī 5355)
"أفْضَلُ الصَّدقِة ما تَرَكَ غِنىً، واليدُ العُليَا خير من اليَدِ السُّفْلى، وابدأ بمن تعولُ: تَقُولُ المرأةُ: إمَّا أن تُطعِمَني وإمَّا إن تُطَلِّقني، ويقولُ العبدُ: اطعِمنِى وَاستَعِملني ويقولُ الابن: أَطعِمنى، إلى مَنْ تَدَعُنِى؟ ".