23/76. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 2574 — Give What You Can
Meaning Of Al-Miskin (The Poor)
Hadith About Giving What You Can to the Poor
Sunan an-Nasai : 2574
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 2574
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ بُجَيْدٍ، عَنْ جَدَّتِهِ أُمِّ بُجَيْدٍ، وَكَانَتْ، مِمَّنْ بَايَعَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّ الْمِسْكِينَ لَيَقُومُ عَلَى بَابِي فَمَا أَجِدُ لَهُ شَيْئًا أُعْطِيهِ إِيَّاهُ فَقَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنْ لَمْ تَجِدِي شَيْئًا تُعْطِينَهُ إِيَّاهُ إِلاَّ ظِلْفًا مُحْرَقًا فَادْفَعِيهِ إِلَيْهِ " .
Umm Bujaid Narrated from:
"The poor man stands at my door, and I cannot find anything to give him. " The Messenger of Allah said to her: "If you cannot find anything to give to him except a sheep's burned foot, then give it to him."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 2574In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 140English translation : Vol. 3, Book 23, Hadith 2575
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 2574
This hadith about giving what you can records Umm Bujaid saying that a poor person stands at her door and she cannot find anything to give him. The Prophet told her that if she could not find anything except a burned sheep’s foot, she should give it to him. The hadith is simple and warm. It teaches that a small charity still has meaning when it is all a person can offer. It also shows that the poor person at the door should not be ignored only because the gift seems small. The focus is on responding with what is available.
What we learn from this hadith
- A small gift can still be worth giving.
- A person should not avoid giving only because the gift seems modest.
- The poor person at the door deserves a kind response.
- Charity is linked to ability and what is available.
