Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you smile in your brother’s face, or enjoin what is reputable, or forbid what is objectionable, or direct someone who has lost his way, or help a man who has bad eyesight, or remove stones, thorns and bones from the road, or pour water from your bucket into your brother’s, it counts to you as sadaqa.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Sa‘d b. ‘Ubada told God’s messenger that Umm Sa'd had died and asked him what form of sadaqa was best. When he replied that water was best, he dug a well and said it was for Umm Sa'd. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God’s messenger as saying, “If any Muslim clothes a Muslim when he is naked, God will clothe him with some of the green garments of paradise; if any Muslim feeds a Muslim when he is hungry, God will feed him with some of the fruits of paradise; and if any Muslim gives a Muslim drink when he is thirsty, God will give him some of the pure wine which is sealed* to drink.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. * Cf Quran 83:25.

Fatima daughter of Qais reported God’s messenger as saying, “There is something due on property apart from zakat.”* He then recited, “It is not piety that you should turn your faces to the east and west. . .”** Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. * This is said to include such acts as generosity to a beggar, readiness to lend money or goods to one who asks, and ordinary hospitality. ** Quran 2:177.

Buhaisa quoted her father as saying that he asked God’s messenger what was the thing which it is unlawful to refuse and was told that it was water. He repeated the question to God’s Prophet and was told that it was salt. When he asked God’s Prophet a third time he received the reply, “To do good is better for you.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone cultivates waste land he will have a reward for it, and what any creature seeking food* eats of it will count as sadaqa to him.” Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it. * This includes man, beast and bird. The word is 'afiya.

Al-Bara’ reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone lends an animal for milking, or silver coins, or shows someone the way, it will be equivalent to his having emancipated a slave.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I came to Medina and saw a man whose opinion was followed by the people, for he said nothing without their acting on it. I asked who he was, and when I was told that he was God’s messenger, I said twice, “Upon you be peace, messenger of God.” He replied, ‘Do not say, “Upon you be peace,’ for that is the salutation to the dead, but say, ‘Peace be upon you’.” I asked him if he was God’s messenger, and he replied, “I am the messenger of God who, if injury befalls you and you call on Him, will remove it; if a year of famine comes upon you and you call on Him, will make things grow; if you lose your riding-beast in a barren land or desert and call upon Him, will restore it to you.” I asked him to give me an injunction, and he said, “Do not revile anyone.” After that I never reviled a freeman or a slave, a camel or a sheep.” He said, “And do not consider any act of kindness insignificant, for looking pleasantly at your brother when you speak to him is an act of kindness. Wear your lower garment halfway up to the knee, but if you dislike that, let it go down to the ankles; on no account, however, must you let it trail, for that is a kind of pride, and God does not like pride. If anyone reviles or reproaches you for something he knows about you, do not reproach him for something you know about him, for the mischief of that will lie at his door.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted the part about the salutation. A version has, “The reward of that will be yours and its mischief will be his.”

‘A’isha said the Prophet asked how much was left of a sheep which they had killed, and when she told him that only its shoulder Remained, he replied, “The whole of it is left except its shoulder.”* Tirmidhi transmitted it and said it is sahih. * Meaning that what one gives to others has lasting value, as such giving is fundamentally done for God’s sake; whereas what one keeps indicates selfishness and so has only transient value.

Ibn 'Abbas said he heard God’s messenger say, “Any Muslim who gives a Muslim a garment to wear will be in God’s safe keeping as long as a shred of it remains on him.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

a man who gets up at night and recites God’s book; a man who gives sadaqa with his right hand and concealing it (‘Abdallah thought he added ‘from his left hand’); and a man who is on an expedition and faces the enemy when his companions are routed.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, but said that this is a tradition to which regard is not paid, one of its transmitters, Abu Bakr b. 'Ayyash, being guilty of many errors.

a man who, when one came and begged from some people in God’s name, not because of any relationship between him and them, and was refused by them, withdrew from them and gave him something secretly, no one knowing of the gift but God and the one who gave it; a man who travelled all night with people till sleep was more desirable to them than anything which could be compared with it, and when they laid down their heads got up and engaged in his devotions and recited verses of the Qur’an; and a man who was in a detachment which met the enemy and was routed, yet went straight forward till he was killed or given victory. The three whom God hates are an old man who commits fornication, a poor man who is proud, and a rich man who is oppressive.” Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it but Nasa'i did not mention the three whom God hates.

When God created the earth it began to oscillate, so He created the mountains, ordered them on to it, and it became steady. The angels marvelled at the strength of the mountains and asked their Lord whether there was anything in His creation stronger than the mountains, to which He replied that iron was stronger. They asked if anything in His creation was stronger than iron, and He replied that fire was. They asked if anything in His creation was stronger than fire and He replied that water was. They asked if anything in His creation was stronger than water and He replied that wind was. They asked if anything in His creation was stronger than wind and He replied, “Yes, the son of Adam who gives sadaqa with his right hand concealing it from his left.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Anas said the clothing the Prophet liked best wear was a striped cloak. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Dharr reported God's messenger as saying, “No Muslim will contribute a pair from every class of property he possesses to be devoted to God’s path without all the guards of paradise meeting him and summoning him to receive what they have.” Abu Dharr asked him what the nature of that would be, and he replied, “If they are camels there will be two, and if they are cows there will be two.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

Marthad b. ‘Abdallah said one of the companions of God’s messenger told him that he had heard him say, “The believer's shade on the day of resurrection will be his sadaqa.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone gives liberally to his family on the day of ‘Ashura, God will be liberal to him the rest of the year.” Sufyan said he had tested it and found it to be so. Razin transmitted it, and Baihaqi in Shu’ab al-iman transmitted it from [Ibn Mas'ud], Abu Huraira, Abu Sa'id andjabir, but declared it to be weak.

Abu Umama told of Abu Dharr asking God’s Prophet to tell him what the reward for sadaqa would be, and receiving the reply, “Many times as much, and more still with God.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Huraira and Hakim b. Hizam reported God’s messenger as saying, “The best sadaqa is that which leaves a competence; and begin with those for whom you are responsible.” Bukhari transmitted it, but Muslim transmitted it from Hakim alone.

Abu Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “When someone spends on his family seeking his reward for it from God, it counts to him as sadaqa.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Of a dinar you spend as a contribution in God’s path, or to set free a slave, or as sadaqa given to a poor man, or in support of your family, the one spent in support of your family produces the greatest reward.” Muslim transmitted it.

Thauban reported God’s messenger as saying, “The most excellent dinar a man spends is one he spends on his family, one which he spends on his animal in God’s path, and one he spends on his companions in God’s path.” Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Salama said she asked God’s messenger whether she would have a reward for what she spent on Abu Salama’s sons, for they were only her sons, and he replied, “Spend on them and you will have the reward for what you spend on them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Zainab the wife of ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that when God's messenger told the women that they should give sadaqa, even though it should be some of their jewellery, she returned to ‘Abdallah and said, “you are a man who does not possess much, and God’s messenger has commanded us to give sadaqa; so go and ask him, and if giving to you will serve for me I shall do so, otherwise I shall give it to someone else.” He told her it would be better to go herself, so she went and found a woman of the Ansar at God's messenger’s door who had come for the same purpose as she had. Now God’s messenger was invested with respect, and when Bilal came out to them they said to him, “Go to God’s messenger and tell him that there are two women at the door who have come to ask him whether it will serve them to give sadaqa to their husbands and to orphans who are in their charge, but do not tell him who we are.” Bilal went in and asked him, and God’s messenger asked him who the women were. When he told him that they were the women of the Ansar and Zainab, he asked him which Zainab it was, and when he was told that it was the wife of ‘Abdallah he said. “They will have two rewards, the reward for kinship and the reward for sadaqa. (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Muslim’s.)

Maimuna daughter of al-Harith told that she set free a girl in the time of God’s messenger, and when she mentioned that to him he said, “If you had given her to your maternal uncles it would have increased your reward.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

'A’isha said that when she told God’s messenger she had two neighbours and asked to which of them she should send a present, he replied, “To the one who lives nearer you.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you make soup put in a lot of water and be mindful of your neighbours.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira asked God’s messenger what kind of sadaqa was most excellent and he replied, “What a man with little property can afford to give; and begin with those for whom you are responsible.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sulaiman b. ‘Amir reported God’s messenger as saying, “Sadaqa given to a poor man is just sadaqa, but when given to a relative it serves a double purpose, being both sadaqa and a connecting link.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that when a man came to the Prophet saying that he had a dinar, he told him to spend it on himself. He said that he had another, and he told him to spend it on his children. He said that he had another, and he told him to spend it on his wife. He said that he had another, and he told him to spend it on his servant. He said he had another and he replied, “You know best [what to do with it]." Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “I shall tell you who is the best of men; he is a man who holds his horse's rein in God’s path. I shall tell you who comes next to him; he is a man who retires with some few goats which he possesses and pays what is due to God on them. I shall tell you who is the worst of men; he is a man from whom someone begs in God’s name, but who does not give anything in His name.’’ Tirmidhi, Nas&’l and Darimi transmitted it.

Umm Bujaid reported God’s messenger as saying, “Send away the beggar [with something], even with only a burnt hoof.” Malik and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted something to the same effect.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone seeks protection in God’s name grant him protection; if anyone begs in God’s name give him something; if anyone gives you an invitation accept it; and if anyone does you a kindness recompense him, but if you have not the means to do so pray for him until you feel that you have recompensed him.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “Nothing but paradise must be begged for God’s sake.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas said that Abu Talha was the one among the Ansar who possessed most palm trees, the property he prized most being Bairaha’ which was opposite the mosque and was often entered by God’s messenger who drank some of the sweet water it contained. When this verse came down, “You will never attain righteousness till you give freely of what you love,”* Abu Talha got up and going to God's messenger said, “Messenger of God, God says, ‘You will never attain righteousness till you give freely of what you love,' and my property which I prize most is Bairaha’, so I give it as sadaqa to God most high from whom I hope for reward for the act of righteousness and the treasure relating to it;** so apply it, messenger of God, to whatever purpose God shows you.” He replied, “Bravo! That is profitable property. I have heard what you said, and I think you should apply it to your nearest relatives.” Abu Talha told God’s messenger he would do so, and divided it among his nearest relatives and his cousins on his father’s side. (Bukhari and Muslim.) * Quran 3:92 ** The Arabic is dhukhraha, which conveys the idea of this good deed being stored up with God who will give a reward for it in the next world

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “The most excellent sadaqa consists in your satisfying a hungry stomach.”* Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu’ab al-iman. * Literally “liver.”

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a woman gives some of the food in her house, not wasting it, she will have her reward for what she has given and her husband will have his for what he earned. The same applies to a storekeeper. In no respect does the one diminish the reward of the other.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a woman gives something her husband has earned without being commanded by him to do so, she has half his reward.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari reported God’s messenger as saying, “The faithful Muslim storekeeper who gives what he is commanded completely and in full with a good will, and delivers it to the one to whom he was told to give it, is one of the two* who give sadaqa.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * The two are his master and himself.

‘A’isha said that a man told the Prophet his mother had died suddenly adding that he thought she would have given sadaqa if she had been able to speak. He therefore asked if she would have a reward supposing he gave sadaqa on her behalf, and was told that she would. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Umama said he heard God’s messenger say in the course of his sermon in the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage, “A woman must not give anything away from her husband’s house without her husbnnd’s permission.” He was asked whether she might not even give away food and replied, “That is the most excellent property we possess.” Tirmidhi transmitted it

literally ‘a burden’

My patron ordered me to cut some meat in strips and spread it in the sun to dry, and when a poor man came to me I gave him some of it to eat. My patron got to know of that and beat me, so I went to God’s messenger and mentioned the matter to him. He summoned him and asked, “Why did you beat him?” He replied, “He gives away my food without instruction from me.” Then he said, “The reward is shared between you.” In a version he said: I was a slave and I asked God’s messenger whether I could give any sadaqa from my patron’s property. He replied, “Yes, and the reward will be shared equally between you.” Muslim transmitted it.

I provided a man with a horse to ride in God’s path, but as the one who had it did not look after it well, I wanted to buy it and thought he would sell it at a cheap price. I therefore asked the Prophet, but he said, “Do not buy it, and do not take back what you gave as sadaqa even if he gives it to you for a dirham, for the one who takes back what he gave as sadaqa is like a dog which returns to its vomit.” A version has, “Do not take back what you gave as sadaqa, for the one who does so is like one who takes back what he has vomited.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Buraida said that when he was sitting with the Prophet a woman came to him and said, “Messenger of God, I gave a slavegirl as sadaqa to my mother who has now died.” He replied. “Your reward is sure, and the inheritance has given her back to you.” She said, "Messenger of God, a month's fast was due from her; may I fast on her behalf ?” He replied, “Fast on her behalf.” She said, “She never performed the pilgrimage, so may I do so on her behalf ?” He replied, “Yes, perform the pilgrimage on her behalf.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘A’isha said the bedding on which God’s messenger slept consisted of leather stuffed with palm fibre. (Bukhari and Muslim)

She said the pillow on which God’s messenger reclined was of leather stuffed with palm fibre. ' Muslim transmitted it.

She told that while they were seated in their house in the noonday heat someone said to Abu Bakr, “Here is God’s messenger coming shading his head.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir told that God’s messenger said to him, “There should be bedding for a man, bedding for his wife, and a third for a guest, but a fourth is for the devil.”(It is explainedt that to have more than is necessary suggests fondness for worldly goods, or a desire to make some display. Such practices are blameworthy, and what is blameworthy is connected with the devil). Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “On the day of resurrection God will not look at him who trails his lower garment conceitedly." (Bukhari and Muslim.)