A man asked the Prophet, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What kind of charity is the best?" He replied. "To give in charity when you are healthy and greedy hoping to be wealthy and afraid of becoming poor. Don't delay giving in charity till the time when you are on the death bed when you say, 'Give so much to soand- so and so much to so-and so,' and at that time the property is not yours but it belongs to so-and-so (i.e. your inheritors).
Wills and Testaments (Wasaayaa) - Sahih al-Bukhari 2748
A man asked the Prophet, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What kind of charity is the best?" He replied. "To give in charity when you are healthy and greedy hoping to be wealthy and afraid of becoming poor. Don't delay giving in charity till the time when you are on the death bed when you say, 'Give so much to so-and-so and so much to so-and-so,' and at that time the property is not yours but it belongs to so-and-so (i.e. your inheritors)."
Commentary on the Excellence of Timely Charity
This noble hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari illuminates the profound wisdom regarding the optimal conditions for charitable giving. The Prophet (ﷺ) emphasizes that the most virtuous charity is that which is given during one's health and strength, when the natural human inclinations of greed and fear of poverty are most potent.
The phrase "healthy and greedy hoping to be wealthy and afraid of becoming poor" describes the state where the nafs (self) is most attached to worldly possessions. To give charity in such a condition represents a true struggle against one's lower desires and demonstrates sincere faith.
The warning against delaying charity until the deathbed carries immense wisdom. At that moment, one's wealth is no longer truly theirs to dispose of freely, as it has effectively become the property of the heirs. The distribution at that point constitutes a will (wasiyya) rather than voluntary charity, and is limited to one-third of the estate.
Scholarly Insights
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, in his commentary Fath al-Bari, explains that charity given during health is superior because it involves overcoming the soul's attachment to wealth, whereas giving at the time of death lacks this spiritual struggle.
The scholars note that this hadith encourages Muslims to give charity during their lifetime when they can witness its benefits and earn continuous reward, rather than postponing it until they can no longer personally benefit from the spiritual blessings.
This teaching aligns with the Quranic principle: "Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love" (3:92). The best charity is that which costs us something - when we give what we cherish while still desiring it for ourselves.