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.
suyuti:3766a

"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)   

السيوطي:٣٧٦٦a

"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؟ ".  

[خ] البخاري [حب] ابن حبّان عن أبي هريرة

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Aḥmad, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Suyūṭī
bukhari:5355ʿUmar b. Ḥafṣ from my father > al-Aʿmash > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

"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."  

البخاري:٥٣٥٥حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو صَالِحٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ قَالَ

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  

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  

nasai-kubra:9165Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abū Rizmah > Ḥafṣ b. Ghiyāth > al-Aʿmash > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

[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."  

الكبرى للنسائي:٩١٦٥أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ أَبِي رِزْمَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ غِيَاثٍ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

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»  

nasai-kubra:9167Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. Yazīd from my father > Saʿīd > Ibn ʿAjlān > Zayd b. Aslam > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

[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?"  

الكبرى للنسائي:٩١٦٧أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ عَجْلَانَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

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؟  

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