Lu'lu' wal-Marjan

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him) was the wealthiest among the Ansar in Madinah because of his date orchards, and among his gardens, he loved the garden of Bairuha the most. This garden was situated directly opposite the Prophet’s Mosque, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit it and drink its sweet water. Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when this verse was revealed: “You will never attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love” (Aal-e-Imran 92), Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: ‘You will never attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love,’ and the garden of Bairuha is the dearest of my property to me. Therefore, I give it in charity for the sake of Allah, hoping for its goodness and for it to be stored as a treasure for me in the Hereafter. So, O Messenger of Allah, use it wherever Allah commands you to use it.” The narrator said that upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Excellent! This is a profitable property. This is indeed a very beneficial asset. I have heard what you have said, and I think it best that you distribute it among your close relatives.” Abu Talha said, “O Messenger of Allah! I will do so.” So he distributed it among his relatives and the sons of his uncle.

The purified wife of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), Lady Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her), freed one of her slave girls. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to her: "If you had given her to your maternal relatives, you would have received a greater reward."

Lady Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud, narrated that I was in the Prophet’s Mosque when I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “Give charity, even if it is from your jewelry.” Lady Zainab used to spend her charity on her husband, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), and on some orphans who were under her care. Therefore, she said to her husband: “Ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) whether the charity I spend on you and on those orphans under my care will suffice for me (as charity)?” But Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “You go yourself and ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” So, in the end, I myself went to the service of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). At that time, I found an Ansari woman at your door who had come with a need similar to mine (she was Zainab, the wife of Sayyiduna Abu Mas’ud Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him). Then Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by us, so we said to him: “Ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about this issue: will the charity I spend on my husband and the orphans under my care suffice for me (as charity)?” We also said to Bilal: “Do not mention our names.” He went inside and presented the matter to the Prophet, saying: “Two women are asking about an issue.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Who are these two?” Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “One of them is named Zainab.” The Prophet said: “Which Zainab?” Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The wife of Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him).” The Prophet said: “Yes, indeed, it is correct, and she will have a double reward: one for maintaining kinship and the other for giving charity.”

Sayyida Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that I asked, "O Messenger of Allah, will I receive a reward for spending on the sons of Abu Salama (her first husband)? I cannot bear to see them in need; after all, they are my sons." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Yes, you will receive a reward for everything you spend on them."

Sayyiduna Abu Mas’ud Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When a Muslim spends on his wife and children in his house with the intention of fulfilling Allah’s command, he also receives the reward of charity for it.

Sayyidah Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), my mother (Qutaylah bint Abd al-Uzza), who was a polytheist, came to me. I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about her. I also said that she is very eager (to meet me), so can I maintain ties of kinship with my mother? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes, maintain ties of kinship with your mother.