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 ."
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.
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.’’
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.”
