Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet asked some people whether they would like him to tell them who was in the worst position, and when they replied that they would, he said,
“The one who is asked for something in God’s name and does not give it in His name.”
A client of ‘Uthman said that Umm Salama was presented with a piece of meat, and because the Prophet liked meat she told the servant to put it in the house as the Prophet might perhaps eat it. She put it in the window ledge in the house. A beggar came and stood at the door and said, “Give alms, may God bless you," and when they replied, “God bless you,"* the beggar went away.
Then the Prophet entered and asked Umm Salama whether she had anything for him to eat. She replied that she had, and told the servant to go and bring God's messenger that meat, but when she went she found only a piece of flint in the window ledge.
The Prophet then said, “That meat changed into flint because you did not give it to the beggar."
Baihaqi transmitted it in Dalail an-nubuwa.
* A pious remark used to indicate that there is no intention of giving anything. The most common phrase in such circumstances is Allah karim (God is generous).
Abu Dharr said that he came with his stick in his hand and asked ‘Uthman for permission to enter and this was granted. ‘Uthman then told Ka‘b that ‘Abd ar-Rahman had died leaving some property and asked what he thought about it. When he replied that if he had given what was due to God on it there was no harm in it, Abu Dharr raised his stick and struck Ka'b and said he had heard God’s messenger say,
“If I had a quantity of gold equivalent to this mountain which I could spend and have accepted from me, I would not like to leave six uqiyas behind me.”
He then adjured ‘Uthman three times to tell him if he had not heard him, and he replied that he had.
Umm Bujaid said she told God’s messenger that a poor man would stand at her door till she was ashamed, for she had nothing in her house to put in his hand, and he replied,
“Put something in his hand, even though it should be a burnt hoof."
Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying that this is a hasan sahih tradition.
