A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Which charity is the most superior in reward?" He replied, "The charity which you practice while you are healthy, niggardly and afraid of poverty and wish to become wealthy. Do not delay it to the time of approaching death and then say, 'Give so much to such and such, and so much to such and such.' And it has already belonged to such and such (as it is too late)."
Hadith Text & Context
A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Which charity is the most superior in reward?" He replied, "The charity which you practice while you are healthy, niggardly and afraid of poverty and wish to become wealthy. Do not delay it to the time of approaching death and then say, 'Give so much to such and such, and so much to such and such.' And it has already belonged to such and such (as it is too late)."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1419 | Book: Obligatory Charity Tax (Zakat)
Scholarly Commentary
This hadith illuminates the spiritual excellence of giving charity during one's lifetime when attachment to wealth is strongest. The Prophet (ﷺ) identifies the most rewarded charity as that given during health and vitality, when the nafs (self) inclines toward miserliness and fears poverty.
The phrase "niggardly and afraid of poverty" describes the natural human condition where one hesitates to part with wealth due to worldly attachments and future concerns. Overcoming this internal struggle carries greater spiritual merit than giving when death approaches and attachment to wealth diminishes.
The warning against delaying charity until the deathbed emphasizes that true charity requires conscious intention and personal sacrifice. When one distributes wealth at death's door, it ceases to be voluntary charity and becomes obligatory inheritance distribution.
Spiritual Benefits
Charity given during health purifies the soul from love of worldly possessions and strengthens faith in Allah's provision. It transforms wealth from a potential source of spiritual harm into a means of drawing nearer to the Creator.
Such charity serves as protection against miserliness and cultivates generosity as a permanent character trait. The psychological struggle involved increases the reward manifold, as every dirham given reluctantly while fearing poverty is weighed heavier in the divine scales.
Legal Implications
Scholars derive from this hadith that voluntary charity (sadaqah) is distinct from bequests (wasiyyah). Charity given during life holds greater merit than posthumous distributions.
The ruling emphasizes that Muslims should not postpone their charitable obligations, whether obligatory zakat or voluntary sadaqah. Procrastination may lead to missing opportunities for reward or dying before fulfilling one's duties.