Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3611
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا قَالَ " أَنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ شَحِيحٌ تَخْشَى الْفَقْرَ وَتَأْمُلُ الْبَقَاءَ وَلاَ تُمْهِلْ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ قُلْتَ لِفُلاَنٍ كَذَا وَقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلاَنٍ ".
Ahmad ibn Harb reported to us: Muhammad ibn Fudayl narrated to us, from 'Umarah, from Abu Zur'ah, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, which charity brings the greatest reward?’ He replied, ‘That you give charity while you are healthy, still inclined to hold on to your wealth, fearing poverty and hoping for a long life. Do not delay until the soul reaches the throat and then say, “This is for so-and-so, and that is for so-and-so,” when it has already become the property of so-and-so.’’
Translation notes
The closing phrase alludes to making bequests at the point of death, when the estate is already passing to the heirs; the Arabic does not use the English witness's parenthetical ‘death rattle.’