Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3614
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ، سَمِعَ أَبَا حَبِيبَةَ الطَّائِيَّ، قَالَ أَوْصَى رَجُلٌ بِدَنَانِيرَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَسُئِلَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ فَحَدَّثَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَعْتِقُ أَوْ يَتَصَدَّقُ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ مَثَلُ الَّذِي يُهْدِي بَعْدَ مَا يَشْبَعُ ".
Muhammad ibn Bashshar reported to us: Muhammad narrated to us: Shu'bah narrated to us: I heard Abu Ishaq; he heard Abu Habibah at-Ta'i say: A man bequeathed dinars to be spent in the cause of Allah. Abu ad-Darda' was asked about it and related from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: ‘The likeness of one who emancipates a slave or gives charity at the time of death is that of someone who gives a gift after having eaten his fill.’
Translation notes
The comparison is rendered literally, but its intended force is not explained in the report.
قَالَ أَوْصَى رَجُلٌ بِدَنَانِيرَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَسُئِلَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ فَحَدَّثَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَعْتِقُ أَوْ يَتَصَدَّقُ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ مَثَلُ الَّذِي يُهْدِي بَعْدَ مَا يَشْبَعُ ".
The report compares charity or emancipation at death with giving a gift after eating one's fill, but does not explain the intended point of comparison.
Should the comparison remain literal, or does a specialist reading identify a more specific implication about the timing or value of such giving?