Maimuna daughter of al-Harith told that she set free a girl in the time of God’s messenger, and when she mentioned that to him he said, “If you had given her to your maternal uncles it would have increased your reward.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

'A’isha said that when she told God’s messenger she had two neighbours and asked to which of them she should send a present, he replied, “To the one who lives nearer you.”Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you make soup put in a lot of water and be mindful of your neighbours.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira asked God’s messenger what kind of sadaqa was most excellent and he replied, “What a man with little property can afford to give; and begin with those for whom you are responsible.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sulaiman b. ‘Amir reported God’s messenger as saying, “Sadaqa given to a poor man is just sadaqa, but when given to a relative it serves a double purpose, being both sadaqa and a connecting link.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that when a man came to the Prophet saying that he had a dinar, he told him to spend it on himself. He said that he had another, and he told him to spend it on his children. He said that he had another, and he told him to spend it on his wife. He said that he had another, and he told him to spend it on his servant. He said he had another and he replied, “You know best [what to do with it]." Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “I shall tell you who is the best of men; he is a man who holds his horse's rein in God’s path. I shall tell you who comes next to him; he is a man who retires with some few goats which he possesses and pays what is due to God on them. I shall tell you who is the worst of men; he is a man from whom someone begs in God’s name, but who does not give anything in His name.’’ Tirmidhi, Nas&’l and Darimi transmitted it.

Umm Bujaid reported God’s messenger as saying, “Send away the beggar [with something], even with only a burnt hoof.” Malik and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted something to the same effect.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone seeks protection in God’s name grant him protection; if anyone begs in God’s name give him something; if anyone gives you an invitation accept it; and if anyone does you a kindness recompense him, but if you have not the means to do so pray for him until you feel that you have recompensed him.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “Nothing but paradise must be begged for God’s sake.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas said that Abu Talha was the one among the Ansar who possessed most palm trees, the property he prized most being Bairaha’ which was opposite the mosque and was often entered by God’s messenger who drank some of the sweet water it contained. When this verse came down, “You will never attain righteousness till you give freely of what you love,”* Abu Talha got up and going to God's messenger said, “Messenger of God, God says, ‘You will never attain righteousness till you give freely of what you love,' and my property which I prize most is Bairaha’, so I give it as sadaqa to God most high from whom I hope for reward for the act of righteousness and the treasure relating to it;** so apply it, messenger of God, to whatever purpose God shows you.” He replied, “Bravo! That is profitable property. I have heard what you said, and I think you should apply it to your nearest relatives.” Abu Talha told God’s messenger he would do so, and divided it among his nearest relatives and his cousins on his father’s side. (Bukhari and Muslim.)* Quran 3:92** The Arabic is dhukhraha, which conveys the idea of this good deed being stored up with God who will give a reward for it in the next world

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “The most excellent sadaqa consists in your satisfying a hungry stomach.”* Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu’ab al-iman.* Literally “liver.”

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a woman gives some of the food in her house, not wasting it, she will have her reward for what she has given and her husband will have his for what he earned. The same applies to a storekeeper. In no respect does the one diminish the reward of the other.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a woman gives something her husband has earned without being commanded by him to do so, she has half his reward.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari reported God’s messenger as saying, “The faithful Muslim storekeeper who gives what he is commanded completely and in full with a good will, and delivers it to the one to whom he was told to give it, is one of the two* who give sadaqa.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)* The two are his master and himself.

‘A’isha said that a man told the Prophet his mother had died suddenly adding that he thought she would have given sadaqa if she had been able to speak. He therefore asked if she would have a reward supposing he gave sadaqa on her behalf, and was told that she would. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Umama said he heard God’s messenger say in the course of his sermon in the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage, “A woman must not give anything away from her husband’s house without her husbnnd’s permission.” He was asked whether she might not even give away food and replied, “That is the most excellent property we possess.” Tirmidhi transmitted it

literally ‘a burden’

My patron ordered me to cut some meat in strips and spread it in the sun to dry, and when a poor man came to me I gave him some of it to eat. My patron got to know of that and beat me, so I went to God’s messenger and mentioned the matter to him. He summoned him and asked, “Why did you beat him?” He replied, “He gives away my food without instruction from me.” Then he said, “The reward is shared between you.” In a version he said: I was a slave and I asked God’s messenger whether I could give any sadaqa from my patron’s property. He replied, “Yes, and the reward will be shared equally between you.” Muslim transmitted it.

I provided a man with a horse to ride in God’s path, but as the one who had it did not look after it well, I wanted to buy it and thought he would sell it at a cheap price. I therefore asked the Prophet, but he said, “Do not buy it, and do not take back what you gave as sadaqa even if he gives it to you for a dirham, for the one who takes back what he gave as sadaqa is like a dog which returns to its vomit.” A version has, “Do not take back what you gave as sadaqa, for the one who does so is like one who takes back what he has vomited.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)