24/18. Chapter:

The wealthy only are required to give in charity

وَمَنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَهْوَ مُحْتَاجٌ، أَوْ أَهْلُهُ مُحْتَاجٌ، أَوْ عَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ، فَالدَّيْنُ أَحَقُّ أَنْ يُقْضَى مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ وَالْعِتْقِ وَالْهِبَةِ، وَهْوَ رَدٌّ عَلَيْهِ، لَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يُتْلِفَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ. قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ أَخَذَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ يُرِيدُ إِتْلاَفَهَا أَتْلَفَهُ اللَّهُ». إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَعْرُوفًا بِالصَّبْرِ فَيُؤْثِرَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِ خَصَاصَةٌ كَفِعْلِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ حِينَ تَصَدَّقَ بِمَالِهِ، وَكَذَلِكَ آثَرَ الأَنْصَارُ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَنَهَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ إِضَاعَةِ الْمَالِ، فَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يُضَيِّعَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِعِلَّةِ الصَّدَقَةِ. وَقَالَ كَعْبٌ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أَنْ أَنْخَلِعَ مِنْ مَالِي صَدَقَةً إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. قَالَ: «أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ بَعْضَ مَالِكَ، فَهْوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ». قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُمْسِكُ سَهْمِي الَّذِي بِخَيْبَرَ.Whoever gives in charity and he himself or his family are in need or in debt, the payment of debts has precedence over giving in charity or setting a slave free, or giving presents to others, for in this case his act of charity is not acceptable and that person has no right to waste the people’s property. And the Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah will destroy the person who takes other’s wealth with the intention of wasting it.” But if one is known for his patience and prefers others to himself while he himself is in need, as Abu Bakr did when he gave all his property in charity, it is permissible. Similarly, the Ansar gave preference to the emigrants over themselves. And the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden the wasting of wealth, so, a person has no right to waste other’s wealth, by spending it in charity. And Ka‘b (bin Malik) رضي الله عنه said, “I said to Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! As a part of my repentance I would like to give up all my property in the Cause of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.’ He said, ‘You would better keep some of your property.’ On that I said, ‘I will keep my share that is in Khaibar.’”

Sahih BukhariHadith Number 1429

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ح‏.‏ وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، وَذَكَرَ الصَّدَقَةَ وَالتَّعَفُّفَ وَالْمَسْأَلَةَ ‏ "‏ الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى، فَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا هِيَ الْمُنْفِقَةُ، وَالسُّفْلَى هِيَ السَّائِلَةُ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Ibn `Umar: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) while he was on the pulpit speaking about charity, to abstain from asking others for some financial help and about begging others, saying, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand. The upper hand is that of the giver and the lower (hand) is that of the beggar."

Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1429In-book reference : Book 24, Hadith 32USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 24, Hadith 509

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