Hadith 31243

Chapter 32

باب 32

(32) باب بَيَانِ أَنَّ الْيَدَ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَأَنَّ الْيَدَ الْعُلْيَا هِيَ الْمُنْفِقَةُ وَأَنَّ السُّفْلَى هِيَ الْآخِذَةُ

(32) Chapter: The upper hand is better than the lower hand, and the upper hand is the one that gives and the lower hand is the one that receives
125
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شَدَّادٌ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا أُمَامَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَبْذُلَ الْفَضْلَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ وَأَنْ تُمْسِكَهُ شَرٌّ لَكَ وَلاَ تُلاَمُ عَلَى كَفَافٍ وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى ".

Abu Umama reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
O son of Adam, it is better for you if you spend your surplus (wealth), but if you withhold it, it is evil for you. There is (however) no reproach for you (if you withhold means necessary) for a living. And begin (charity) with your dependents; and the upper hand is better than the lower hand.

Reference: Sahih Muslim 1036

In-book reference: Book 12, Hadith 125

USC-MSA web (English) reference(deprecated numbering scheme): Book 5, Hadith 2256