Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 196
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ بَهْدَلَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا بَقَّى غِنًى، وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ، تَقُولُ امْرَأَتُكَ: أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ أَوْ طَلِّقْنِي، وَيَقُولُ مَمْلُوكُكَ: أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ أَوْ بِعْنِي، وَيَقُولُ وَلَدُكَ: إِلَى مَنْ تَكِلُنَا.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Musaddad narrated to us. He said: Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us, from Asim ibn Bahdala, from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurayra, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘The best charity is that which leaves one with enough. The upper hand is better than the lower hand. Begin with those for whom you are responsible. Your wife says, “Provide for me, or divorce me.” Your servant says, “Provide for me, or sell me.” And your child says, “To whom will you entrust us?”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The phrase ma baqqa ghina refers to charity that leaves the giver with sufficient means. The final question literally asks, ‘To whom will you entrust us?’
خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا بَقَّى غِنًى،
The concise wording may refer to giving from what remains after one’s needs are met.
Should the translation state explicitly that this means giving from surplus, or retain the more literal wording?
وَيَقُولُ وَلَدُكَ: إِلَى مَنْ تَكِلُنَا.
The idiom can be understood as asking who will be left to care for the children.
Should a later editor prefer an idiomatic rendering such as ‘Who will look after us?’