Al-Matalib al-'Aliyah 957 — Encouragement to give charity

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Qays bin Asim (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I came into the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When I drew near to him (peace and blessings be upon him), I heard him (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "This is the chief of the desert dwellers." I gave the greeting of peace and sat down, then I said: O Messenger of Allah, which wealth is it in which no burden or reckoning falls on me on account of a guest or a large family? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Forty camels are the best wealth, and at most sixty; and woe to the owners of hundreds of camels, except the one who pays their due both in their abundance and in their hardship, lends out their backs for riding, provides his stallion for breeding, slaughters his fat animal, and feeds the content poor who do not ask and the one who asks." I said: O Messenger of Allah, how noble and beautiful these manners are! The situation is that because of the great number of my camels, no room is left for anyone else to camp in the valley where I live. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "What do you do regarding the 'maniha' (lending an animal temporarily for its milk)?" I said: Every year I give a hundred camels as maniha. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "What do you do with the 'ariyah' (those who ask to borrow for general use)?" I said: The camels go out in the morning to graze and people also come, and whoever takes hold of the halter of a camel takes it away. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "What do you do regarding 'fiqar' (lending camels for riding and carrying loads)?" I said: I give young camels and aged she-camels for this purpose as well. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Is all of this dearer to you, or the wealth of your heir?" I said: Rather, I prefer my own wealth. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Your own share of your wealth is only what you have eaten and finished, or worn and worn out, or given in the way of Allah and so made it take effect in your favour; and whatever remains belongs to your heir." I said: Does it belong to the heir? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes." I said: By Allah, if I remain alive, I will certainly reduce the number of my camels by giving them in charity.
Imam al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) states that Qays bin Asim (may Allah be pleased with him) then did just as he had said, may Allah have mercy on him.