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:7836a
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السيوطي:٧٨٣٦a

"إِنَّه مَنْ يَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ فيُعْطَى يكُون كالذى يأْكلُ ولا ينفعُه ما أَكَلَ، اليدُ العُليَا خيرٌ مِنَ اليدِ السُّفْلى، وخَيْرُ الصَّدقِة ما كان عن ظَهْرِ غِنًى وابدأ بمن تَعُولُ ".  

[طب] الطبرانى في الكبير عن حكيم بن حزام

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Nasāʾī, Aḥmad, Dārimī, Ibn Ḥibbān, Ṭabarānī, Suyūṭī
nasai:2534Qutaybah > Bakr > Ibn ʿAjlān from his father > Abū Hurayrah

"The best of charity is that which is given when you are self-sufficient, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and start with those for whom you are responsible."  

النسائي:٢٥٣٤أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرٌ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلاَنَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ  

ahmad:9122Abū Aḥmad > Maʿqil / Ibn ʿUbaydullāh > ʿAṭāʾ > Abū Hurayrah

"The best of charity is that which is given when you are self-sufficient, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and start with those for whom you are responsible." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2534)   

أحمد:٩١٢٢حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْقِلٌ يَعْنِي ابْنَ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الصَّدَقَةُ عَنْ ظَهْرِغِنًى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى  

ahmad:7155Yaʿlá b. ʿUbayd > ʿAbd al-Malik > ʿAṭāʾ > Abū Hurayrah

"The best of charity is that which is given when you are self-sufficient, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and start with those for whom you are responsible." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2534)   

أحمد:٧١٥٥حَدَّثَنَا يَعْلَى بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَا صَدَقَةَ إِلَّا عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ  

ahmad:7741ʿAbd al-Razzāq > Maʿmar > Ayyūb > Ibn Sīrīn > Abū Hurayrah

"The best of charity is that which is given when you are self-sufficient, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and start with those for whom you are responsible." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2534)  

أحمد:٧٧٤١حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ ابْنِ سِيرِينَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى  

ahmad:10172Wakīʿ > al-Aʿmash > Abū Ṣāliḥʿan Abū Hurayrah

"The best of charity is that which is given when you are self-sufficient, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and start with those for whom you are responsible." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2534)  

أحمد:١٠١٧٢حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ  

darimi:1693Abū Nuʿaym > ʿAmr b. ʿUthmān > Mūsá b. Ṭalḥah > Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām

The Prophet ﷺ said, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand (i.e. he who gives in charity is better than him who takes it). One should start giving first to his dependents. And the best object of charity is that which is given by a wealthy person (from the money which is left after his expenses). And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient." (Using translation from Bukhārī 1427)  

الدارمي:١٦٩٣حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُوسَى بْنَ طَلْحَةَ يَذْكُرُ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ»  

ذِكْرُ الْخَبَرِ الدَّالِّ عَلَى أَنَّ نَفَقَةَ الْمَرْءِ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ نَفَقَتِهِ عَلَى أَقْرِبَائِهِ

ibnhibban:4243Ibn al-Junayd Bibust > Qutaybah > Bakr b. Muḍar > Ibn ʿAjlān from his father > Abū Hurayrah

"The best of charity is that which is given when you are self-sufficient, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and start with those for whom you are responsible." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2534)  

ابن حبّان:٤٢٤٣أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ الْجُنَيْدِ بِبُسْتَ حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ مُضَرَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ»  

tabarani:3091al-Ḥusayn b. Isḥāq al-Tustarī > ʿUthmān b. Abū Shaybah > ʿAbdah b. Sulaymān > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand, and one should start with those who are dependent on him. The best charity is that which is given while one is self-sufficient, and whoever seeks chastity, Allah will assist him with it, and whoever seeks self-sufficiency, Allah will make him self-sufficient."  

الطبراني:٣٠٩١حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ التُّسْتَرِيُّ ثنا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ثنا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَلْيَبْدَأْ أَحَدُكُمْ بِمَنْ يَعُولُ خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللهُ وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللهُ ﷻ»  

مُوسَى بْنُ طَلْحَةَ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ

tabarani:3120ʿAlī b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz > Abū Nuʿaym > ʿAmr b. ʿUthmān b. Mawhab > Mūsá b. Ṭalḥah > Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām

The Prophet ﷺ said, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand (i.e. he who gives in charity is better than him who takes it). One should start giving first to his dependents. And the best object of charity is that which is given by a wealthy person (from the money which is left after his expenses). And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient." (Using translation from Bukhārī 1427)  

الطبراني:٣١٢٠حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ ثنا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ ثنا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُوسَى بْنَ طَلْحَةَ يَذْكُرُ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ»  

الْمُطَّلِبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ حَنْطَبٍ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ

tabarani:3124Aḥmad b. ʿAmr al-Khallāl al-Makkī > Yaʿqūb b. Ḥumayd b. Kāsib > Sufyān b. Ḥamzah > Kathīr b. Zayd > al-Muṭṭalib b. ʿAbdullāh b. Ḥanṭab > Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām

[Machine] I came to the Prophet ﷺ to ask him, and he said, "Indeed, whoever asks people and is given, it is like one who eats and the hand that gives is better than the hand that receives. And the best charity is what is given while one is still self-sufficient. Begin with those whom you are responsible for." The wise person said, so I said, "O Messenger of Allah, by the One who has honored you, I will never take anything from anyone."  

الطبراني:٣١٢٤حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْخَلَّالُ الْمَكِّيُّ ثنا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ كَاسِبٍ ثنا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ حَمْزَةَ عَنْ كَثِيرِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ حَنْطَبٍ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ قَالَ

أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لِأَسْأَلَهُ فَقَالَ «إِنَّ مَنْ يَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ فَيُعْطَى يَكُونُ كَالَّذِي يَأْكُلُ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُ مَا أَكَلَ الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَخَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ» قَالَ حَكِيمٌ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَالَّذِي أَكْرَمَكَ لَا آخُذُ مِنْ أَحَدٍ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا  

suyuti:13907a
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السيوطي:١٣٩٠٧a

"خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَة مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْر غنًى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ، وَالْيَدُ العُليَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ اليَدِ السُّفْلَى".  

[عب] عبد الرازق عن أَبى هريرة
suyuti:13978a
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السيوطي:١٣٩٧٨a

"خَيْرُ الصدقة ما كان عن ظهر غنًى، واليد العليا خَيْرٌ من اليد السُّفلى، وابدأ بمن تعول".  

[حب] ابن حبّان والعسكرى في الأَمثال: عن أَبى هريرة، وابن جرير في تهذيبه عن حكيم بن حِزَامٍ
suyuti:3764a

The most excellent Sadaqa or the best of Sadaqa is that after giving which the (giver) remains rich and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and begin from the members of your household. (Using translation from Muslim 1034)   

السيوطي:٣٧٦٤a

"أفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَة: ما كان عن ظهرِ غنىً، واليدُ العُليَا خير من اليدِ السُّفْلى، وابْدَأ بمن تَعُولَ" .  

[حم] أحمد [م] مسلم والدارمي، [ن] النسائي حكيم بن حزام
suyuti:12167a
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السيوطي:١٢١٦٧a

"اليدُ العُليَا خَيرٌ مِنَ اليَدِ السُّفْلَى، وابْدَأ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ، وَخَيرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنىً، وَمن يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِه اللهُ".  

[حم] أحمد [خ] البخاري وابن جرير في تهذيبه عن حكيم بن حزام
suyuti:12175a
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السيوطي:١٢١٧٥a

"اليَدُ العُليَا خَيرٌ مِنَ اليَدِ السُّفْلَى، وابْدَأ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ، وَخَيرُ الصَّدَقَةِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنىً".  

ابن خزيمة في تهذيبه عن جابر
suyuti:165-171bJābir
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السيوطي:١٦٥-١٧١b

"عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رسولُ الله ﷺ : اليَدُ العُليَا خَيْرٌ مِن اليَدِ السُّفْلَى، وَابْدَأ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ، وَخَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنىً".  

ابن جرير في تهذيبه