Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 2592
sahih

Narrated Kuraib:

the freed slave of Ibn `Abbas, that Maimuna bint Al-Harith told him that she manumitted a slave-girl without taking the permission of the Prophet. On the day when it was her turn to be with the Prophet, she said, "Do you know, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , that I have manumitted my slave-girl?" He said, "Have you really?" She replied in the affirmative. He said, "You would have got more reward if you had given her (i.e. the slave-girl) to one of your maternal uncles."

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، عَنِ اللَّيْثِ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ بُكَيْرٍ، عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتَ الْحَارِثِ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّهَا، أَعْتَقَتْ وَلِيدَةً وَلَمْ تَسْتَأْذِنِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُهَا الَّذِي يَدُورُ عَلَيْهَا فِيهِ قَالَتْ أَشَعَرْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنِّي أَعْتَقْتُ وَلِيدَتِي قَالَ ‏"‏ أَوَفَعَلْتِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَمَا إِنَّكِ لَوْ أَعْطَيْتِيهَا أَخْوَالَكِ كَانَ أَعْظَمَ لأَجْرِكِ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ بَكْرُ بْنُ مُضَرَ عَنْ عَمْرٍو عَنْ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ إِنَّ مَيْمُونَةَ أَعْتَقَتْ.

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 51, Hadith 26
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 3, Book 47, Hadith 765 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Spending in charity is one of the best acts of righteousness, and there are numerous channels of giving and spending in charity.Some should be given precedence over the others depending on the situation and circumstances. Charity offered to one’s relatives is better and more rewardable. In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with her) related that she manumitted a slave-girl without taking the permission of the Prophet ﷺ. She (may Allah be pleased with her) owned this slave-girl, and being a sane adult, her disposal of her own property is valid as per the laws of Islam with no need for her husband’s prior consent. On the other hand, she (may Allah be pleased with her) had known that the Prophet ﷺ would not disapprove of her disposal, and that he ﷺ would even like such act, which did not constitute a violation of the proper conduct of a woman towards her husband in Islam. On the day when it was her turn to spend the night with the Prophet ﷺ, she said, "Do you know, O Allah's Messengerﷺ,that I have manumitted my slave-girl?" He ﷺ said, "Have you really?" She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative. He ﷺ said, "You would have got more reward if you had given her (i.e., the slave-girl) to one of your maternal uncles,” meaning that it would have been better and more rewardable to give this slave-girl to her maternal uncles to serve them, since they needed a servant, than manumitting her. Her maternal relatives belonged to Banee Hilaal and her mother’s name was Hind bint ‘Awf ibn Zuhayr Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with them). The hadeeth urges Muslims to uphold ties of kinship, and underlines the abundant reward designated for such a worshipful act..
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