Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 38168 — Reports from al-Shabi

Abd al-Rahman bin Sabit said: Sayyiduna Sa'id bin Amir bin Hidhyam (may Allah be pleased with him) was the governor of Egypt. Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) learned about him that there were times when his oven was not lit. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sent him some money, and he bought with it what he and his family needed. Then Sayyiduna Sa'id bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his wife: Why do we not give this money to a merchant who may earn a profit on it for us? His wife said: Do so. Then he gave that money away in charity, and kept giving until nothing of it remained. Some time later they fell into need, and his wife said to him: If you would look to those dirhams and take them back, for we need them now. Sayyiduna Sa'id bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) paid no attention to what she said. His wife repeated the same words, and again he turned away. When it became clear to her that he had spent it, she began to reproach him. Sayyiduna Sa'id bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) sought the help of Sayyiduna Khalid bin al-Walid (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Khalid bin al-Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke to her and said: You have hurt Sa'id. It was as if this only incited her against him, and she said the same to him again. When he saw this, he knelt on his knees and said: It would not please me to be held back from entering the first group on the Day of Resurrection, even if in exchange I were given everything on the face of the earth. And if a maiden of Paradise were to reveal her fingers to the people of the earth from above the heavens, all would perceive their fragrance. Shall I then leave them for the sake of you women? To leave you for their sake is more fitting than to leave them for yours. When she saw this, she left him alone.