Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 994
sahih

Thauban reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

The most excellent dinar is one that a person spends on his family, and the dinar which he spends on his animal in Allah's path, and the dinar he spends on his companions in Allah's path. Abu Qilaba (one of the narrators) said: He (the narrator) started with family, and then Abu Qilaba said: Who is the person with greater reward than a person who spends on young members of his family (and thus) preserves (saves them from want) (and by virtue of which) Allah brings profit for them and makes them rich.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، - قَالَ أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، - حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَسْمَاءَ، عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏ أَفْضَلُ دِينَارٍ يُنْفِقُهُ الرَّجُلُ دِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ وَدِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَدِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ‏

‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو قِلاَبَةَ وَبَدَأَ بِالْعِيَالِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو قِلاَبَةَ وَأَىُّ رَجُلٍ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا مِنْ رَجُلٍ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى عِيَالٍ صِغَارٍ يُعِفُّهُمْ أَوْ يَنْفَعُهُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَيُغْنِيهِمْ ‏.‏

Isnad

8 transmitters
  1. 1Sulaiman bin Da'ud al-'Atki al-Zahranial-Basra,Baghdad · d. 234 AH
  2. 2Qutayba bin Sa'id bin JamilBulkh,Bakhalan, Baghdad · d. ~240 AH
  3. 3Hammad bin ZaydBasra · d. 179 AH
  4. 4Sulaiman bin Da'ud al-'Atki al-Zahranial-Basra,Baghdad · d. 234 AH
  5. 5Hammad bin ZaydBasra · d. 179 AH
  6. 6Ayoub al-SakhtiyaniBasra/Hijaz · d. 131 AH
  7. 7Abu Qalaba, 'Abdullah bin Zayd al-Jarmial-Basra,Syria · d. 104 AH or later
  8. 8Thawban bin BujdudMakkah/Medina/as-Surat/Syria/Hims · d. 54 AH/663 CE
References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 12, Hadith 47
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 5, Hadith 2180 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Spending in the cause of Allah is one of the best areas of benevolence. Such spending has numerous forms that are valued based on their respective worth and preferred over one another according to the relevant conditions and circumstances. In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrates forms and areas of spending and arranges them in accordance with the relevant conditions, if a number of areas of spending converge at the same time. He said that the Dinar entailing the greatest reward is the one a person spends on his dependents and those he is obliged to provide for, such as his wife, children, and servants, if he seeks the Countenance of Allah thereby. In a version of the Two Sahīh Collections: "When a Muslim spends on his family seeking reward for it (from Allah), it counts for him as charity." So, it clarifies that if he seeks a reward for it from Allah, it counts as charity for him. This is because spending money on them is a duty, and he incurs a sin if he neglects them. Therefore, this entails a greater reward than if he spends on people other than his dependents and forsakes his dependents. The word 'Dinar' here is general and it comprises all money used for spending, and this applies to the contemporary currencies with their different kinds. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned spending on a person's riding animal which is prepared for war in the cause of Allah. He said: "and a Dinar he spends on his riding animal" which is garrisoned "in the cause of Allah," i.e., he prepared it to be ridden in battle and other similar endeavors. "and a Dinar he spends on his companions" while they are fighting "in the cause of Allah;" so, he spends on his comrades in battle. It was said: "in the cause of Allah" means every act of piety. At the end of the Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Qilābah ‘Abdullāh ibn Zayd, the narrator of the Hadīth, said: "He began with the dependents," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarded a man's spending on his dependents as the worthiest of all spending. Then, Abu Qilābah said: "Who could obtain a greater reward than a man who spends on young dependents and saves them from want, or Allah benefits them through him and makes them self-sufficient?!" This is the opinion of Abu Qilābah regarding spending and the prioritization of the mentioned categories. He held that the best and most worthy spending is the one spent on young dependents and children who cannot earn their living. So, this spending saves them from begging people and makes them self-sufficient and away from humiliation and disgrace. This accords with a Hadīth narrated by Muslim, in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and a Dinar you spend on your family; the greatest in reward is the one you spend on your family." The Hadīth shows numerous areas of spending for benevolence, goodness, and charity. It also demonstrates that spending on one's dependents is one of the greatest areas of spending. As it indicates that spending on Jihad in the cause of Allah is one of the greatest areas of spending, such as preparing the equipment and men for Jihad..
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