Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
Book 14, Hadith 305
حَدَّثَنَا الأُوَيْسِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُرَاوِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ: سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: أَيُّ الأَعْمَالِ خَيْرٌ؟ قَالَ: إِيمَانٌ بِاللَّهِ، وَجِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِهِ، قَالَ: فَأَيُّ الرِّقَابِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ: أَغْلاَهَا ثَمَنًا، وَأَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا، قَالَ: أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ لَمْ أَسْتَطِعْ بَعْضَ الْعَمَلِ؟ قَالَ: تُعِينُ ضَائِعًا، أَوْ تَصْنَعُ لأَخْرَقَ، قَالَ: أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ ضَعُفْتُ؟ قَالَ: تَدَعُ النَّاسَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ، فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ تَصَدَّقَهَا عَلَى نَفْسِكَ.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Al-Uwaysi narrated to us: ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi al-Zinad narrated to us, from his father, from ‘Urwa, from Abu Murawih, from Abu Dharr: The Prophet ﷺ was asked, ‘Which deed is best?’ He replied, ‘Faith in Allah and striving in His cause.’ He was asked, ‘Which enslaved people are best to free?’ He replied, ‘Those with the highest price and most precious to their owners.’ He was asked, ‘What if I cannot do some of that?’ He replied, ‘Help someone who is in need, or do something for someone who is unskilled.’ He asked, ‘What if I am too weak?’ He replied, ‘Keep people safe from your harm; that is charity you give to yourself.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic asks about the best ‘necks’ (enslaved people to emancipate). ضائعًا and لأخرقَ are terse descriptions of a person in need and someone lacking skill; the witness renders these as someone in trouble and someone who does not work.
تُعِينُ ضَائِعًا، أَوْ تَصْنَعُ لأَخْرَقَ
ضائع and أخرق have a range of meanings; the Arabic does not specify the exact circumstances or kind of work.
Would ‘someone in need’ and ‘someone unskilled’ best preserve these brief descriptions?