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الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتابBook of Good Treatment of Servants
بَابُ نَفَقَةُ الرَّجُلِ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ وَخَادِمِهِ صَدَقَةٌChapter: A Man's Spending on His Slave and Servant is Charity
Hadith 196
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ بَهْدَلَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ”خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا بَقَّى غِنًى، وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ، تَقُولُ امْرَأَتُكَ: أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ أَوْ طَلِّقْنِي، وَيَقُولُ مَمْلُوكُكَ: أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ أَوْ بِعْنِي، وَيَقُولُ وَلَدُكَ: إِلَى مَنْ تَكِلُنَا.“
Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best charity is that which leaves the giver self-sufficient, and the upper (giving) hand is better than the lower (receiving) hand. And begin spending on those whose maintenance is your responsibility. Your wife will say: Spend on me or divorce me, and your slave will say: Spend on me or sell me, and your son will say: To whom do you entrust us?"
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
➊ This hadith is authentic in Sahih Bukhari up to the words “and begin with those you are responsible for (wa abda’ biman ta’ul),” and the subsequent part is interpolated, which is the statement of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu. (See: Al-Irwa, Hadith: 2181)
➋ There are two meanings of “leave the giver self-sufficient (ghani)”: After giving charity (sadaqah), a person should have enough left for his necessary expenses; he should not become completely destitute, such that after giving away his own, he is forced to beg from others. The second meaning is that the one to whom charity is given should be given so much that he does not need to ask from anyone else, rather he becomes self-sufficient. The first meaning is closer to the temperament of the Shari‘ah, because “the upper hand is better” means that even after giving charity, his hand remains the upper one, that he is still counted among the givers. Also, when a person usually has something left with him, he does not regret the wealth he has given in charity, rather he is pleased; whereas the one who gives away everything sometimes becomes regretful, and this is not a good thing.
➌ The method and order of spending wealth and giving charity is that first, one should fulfill his personal expenses, then fulfill the expenses of his wife and children. It should not be that one’s own children are in need while he is busy giving charity and alms, because those whose upbringing is one’s responsibility are the most deserving of his wealth. In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: Spending on one’s family is superior to jihad in the way of Allah, freeing a slave, and spending on the poor. (Sahih Muslim, Zakat, Hadith: 995) After that, one’s slaves and servants are more deserving that their needs be fulfilled. After this, a person may spend wherever he deems appropriate; however, spending on relatives carries double the reward, provided the intention is to maintain family ties (silat ar-rahm) and to seek Allah’s pleasure, not for worldly status or leadership.
➊ This hadith is authentic in Sahih Bukhari up to the words “and begin with those you are responsible for (wa abda’ biman ta’ul),” and the subsequent part is interpolated, which is the statement of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu. (See: Al-Irwa, Hadith: 2181)
➋ There are two meanings of “leave the giver self-sufficient (ghani)”: After giving charity (sadaqah), a person should have enough left for his necessary expenses; he should not become completely destitute, such that after giving away his own, he is forced to beg from others. The second meaning is that the one to whom charity is given should be given so much that he does not need to ask from anyone else, rather he becomes self-sufficient. The first meaning is closer to the temperament of the Shari‘ah, because “the upper hand is better” means that even after giving charity, his hand remains the upper one, that he is still counted among the givers. Also, when a person usually has something left with him, he does not regret the wealth he has given in charity, rather he is pleased; whereas the one who gives away everything sometimes becomes regretful, and this is not a good thing.
➌ The method and order of spending wealth and giving charity is that first, one should fulfill his personal expenses, then fulfill the expenses of his wife and children. It should not be that one’s own children are in need while he is busy giving charity and alms, because those whose upbringing is one’s responsibility are the most deserving of his wealth. In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: Spending on one’s family is superior to jihad in the way of Allah, freeing a slave, and spending on the poor. (Sahih Muslim, Zakat, Hadith: 995) After that, one’s slaves and servants are more deserving that their needs be fulfilled. After this, a person may spend wherever he deems appropriate; however, spending on relatives carries double the reward, provided the intention is to maintain family ties (silat ar-rahm) and to seek Allah’s pleasure, not for worldly status or leadership.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 196
