Hadith 8959

Chapter 3

باب 3

(3) باب الْوَصِيَّةِ بِالثُّلُثِ

(3) Chapter: Bequeathing One-Third
20
أَخْبَرَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْكَبِيرِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَجِيدِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بُكَيْرُ بْنُ مِسْمَارٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَامِرَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ اشْتَكَى بِمَكَّةَ فَجَاءَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا رَآهُ سَعْدٌ بَكَى وَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَمُوتُ بِالأَرْضِ الَّتِي هَاجَرْتَ مِنْهَا قَالَ " لاَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ". وَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالَ " لاَ ". قَالَ يَعْنِي بِثُلُثَيْهِ قَالَ " لاَ ". قَالَ فَنِصْفَهُ قَالَ " لاَ ". قَالَ فَثُلُثَهُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الثُّلُثَ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَتْرُكَ بَنِيكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَتْرُكَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ ".

'Amir bin Sa'd (narrated) from his father that he fell sick in Makkah and the Messenger of Allah came to him. When Sa'd saw him, he wept and said:
"O Messenger of Allah, am I to die in the land from which I emigrated?" He said: "No, if Allah wills." He said: "O Messenger of Allah, shall I bequeath all of my wealth in the cause of Allah?" He said: "No." He said: "Two-thirds?" He said: "No." He said: "Half of it?" He said: "No." He said: "One-third of it?" The Messenger of Allah said: "One-third, and one-third is a lot. If you leave your sons independent of means that is better than if you leave them poor, holding out their hands to people."

Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 3630

In-book reference: Book 30, Hadith 20

English translation: Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3660