عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! عَلِّمْنِي عَمَلًا يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ، فَقَالَ: ((لَئِنْ كُنْتَ أَقْصَرْتَ الْخُطْبَةَ لَقَدْ أَعْرَضْتَ الْمَسْأَلَةَ، أَعْتِقِ النَّسَمَةَ، وَفُكَّ الرَّقَبَةَ))، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! أَوَلَيْسَتَا بِوَاحِدَةٍ، قَالَ: ((لَا، إِنَّ عِتْقَ النَّسَمَةِ أَنْ تُفْرَدَ بِعِتْقِهَا، وَفَكُّ الرَّقَبَةِ أَنْ تُعِينَ فِي عِتْقِهَا، وَالْمِنْحَةُ الْوَكُوفُ، وَالْفَيْءُ عَلَى ذِي الرَّحِمِ الظَّالِمِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تُطِقْ ذَلِكَ فَأَطْعِمِ الْجَائِعَ وَاسْقِ الظَّمْآنَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تُطِقْ ذَلِكَ فَكُفَّ لِسَانَكَ إِلَّا مِنَ الْخَيْرِ))
Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) says: A Bedouin came to the service of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! Teach me an action by which I may enter Paradise. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: You have asked a brief question, but it is a great matter. In any case, free a slave completely or take part in freeing someone. He said: Are these two not the same? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: No, ‘Itqun-Nasmah is that you alone free someone, and Fakkur-Raqabah is that you take part in the freedom of a slave. (Other good deeds are that) you lend a milch animal to someone, and maintain ties of kinship with your relatives, even if he is an oppressor. If you do not have the strength for this, then feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, enjoin good and forbid evil. If you do not have the strength for these matters either, then restrain your tongue from everything except good deeds.