Hadith 22412

Chapter 1

باب 1

(1) باب الْكَرَاهِيَةِ فِي تَأْخِيرِ الْوَصِيَّةِ

(1) Chapter: It Is Disliked To Delay Making A Will
1
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 ".

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:
"A man came to the Prophet and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what kind of charity brings the greatest reward?' He said: 'To give in charity when you are healthy and feeling miserly, and fearing poverty and hoping for a long life. Do not wait until the (death rattle) reaches the throat and then say: "This is for so and so," and it nearly became the property of so and so (the heirs).'"

Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 3611

In-book reference: Book 30, Hadith 1

English translation: Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3641