عَنْ أَبِي سَرْوَعَةَ — بِكَسْرِ السِّينِ الْمُهْمَلَةِ وَفَتْحِهَا — عُقْبَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: صَلَّيْتُ وَرَاءَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْمَدِينَةِ الْعَصْرَ، فَسَلَّمَ، ثُمَّ قَامَ مُسْرِعًا، فَتَخَطَّىٰ رِقَابَ النَّاسِ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ حُجَرِ نِسَائِهِ، فَفَزِعَ النَّاسُ مِنْ سُرْعَتِهِ، فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَرَأَىٰ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ عَجِبُوا مِنْ سُرْعَتِهِ، قَالَ: «ذَكَرْتُ شَيْئًا مِنْ تِبْرٍ عِنْدَنَا، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ يَحْبِسَنِي، فَأَمَرْتُ بِقِسْمَتِهِ». رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ.
وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لَهُ: «كُنْتُ خَلَّفْتُ فِي الْبَيْتِ تِبْرًا مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُبَيِّتَهُ».
«التِّبْر»: قِطَعُ ذَهَبٍ أَوْ فِضَّةٍ.
Translation:
Abu Sarwah Uqbah ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I prayed behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) the Afternoon Prayer in Madinah. When he finished with the salām, he stood up quickly, stepped over the necks of the people, and went to some of his wives’ rooms. The people were alarmed by his speed. He came out to them, saw that they were surprised, and said: “I remembered some gold we had with us, and I hated that it should detain me, so I ordered it to be distributed.” (Al-Bukhari)
In another narration: “I had left some gold from charity in the house, and I hated to spend the night with it.”
“Al-Tibr” means pieces of gold or silver.
1. Connection to the Chapter
This hadith is a practical embodiment of the chapter’s title: hastening to good deeds. The Prophet (peace be upon him) does not delay distributing charity even for a night. Immediately after prayer, he moves with such speed that the Companions are startled. When he explains himself, the reason is clear: wealth that belongs to others—especially charity—must not be kept waiting when it can be given now.
Imam al-Nawawi places this narration here to show that “hastening” is not only about personal worship; it is also about fulfilling the rights of others without delay. The chapter’s command becomes concrete in this scene: the Prophet would rather step over rows of people than let charity remain undistributed in his house after sunset.
2. Key Concept Breakdown
- He stood up quickly — This is not restlessness; it is responsibility. The speed is triggered by remembrance of a duty, not by personal urgency.
- Stepped over the necks of the people — A strong image. In normal circumstances, stepping over people in prayer rows is discouraged. Here, the Prophet does it because the matter is time-sensitive and weighty: charity that must reach its recipients. The action signals priority, not disregard.
- I remembered some gold we had with us — The gold was not stolen; it was charity entrusted to him for distribution. But as long as it remained in his house, it was an unfinished obligation.
- I hated that it should detain me / I hated to spend the night with it — The word “hated” is key. It was not merely dislike; it was spiritual discomfort at the idea of delaying what belonged to the poor. For him, keeping charity overnight felt like carrying a trust that should have already been delivered.
- So I ordered it to be distributed — The remedy for the discomfort is immediate action. He does not say, “I will deal with it tomorrow.” He resolves it before nightfall.
3. Hadith Lessons
- Hastening to good includes hastening to return rights.
Many people think of “good deeds” only as prayer, fasting, or charity they initiate themselves. This hadith expands the definition: fulfilling trusts, paying what is due, and distributing what belongs to others are also acts of goodness that demand speed. Delay in rights is a form of oppression, even when unintentional. - The Prophet’s standard for charity was not “permissible,” but “perfect.”
It was not forbidden for him to keep charity in his house for a night if there was a valid reason. But his concern was not the minimum; it was the highest level of care. He did not want anything that could weigh on his heart before Allah, even if technically allowed. - Wealth can “detain” the heart.
His words, “I hated that it should detain me,” show a deep awareness: un-dispatched wealth, even when lawful, can become a spiritual burden. It occupies the mind, creates attachment, and distracts from the next act of obedience. The cure is to move it quickly to its rightful place. - The Companions watched his every move with reverence.
Their surprise at his speed, and his gentle explanation to them, reveal a community that observed the Prophet closely and cared about the meaning behind his actions. This attentiveness is part of why they became the best generation: they did not just hear his words; they studied his life in motion.
4. Special Reflections: The Weight of Undistributed Good
This hadith cuts against a common modern habit: collecting intentions without executing them. Many of us have “charity funds” in our minds or accounts that we keep meaning to give “when the right case appears,” or “at the end of the month,” or “after I check a few more options.” Meanwhile, the money sits, and the intention grows stale.
The Prophet’s posture is the opposite: when charity is present and recipients are known, delay itself becomes a problem. He would rather disrupt normal etiquette (stepping over people) than allow charity to remain undistributed after sunset.
For those managing zakat, sadaqah, or community funds today, this is a sobering mirror:
- Is there money in your account labeled “for charity” that has been there for weeks or months without movement?
- Are you waiting for a “perfect” recipient while real needs are already visible around you?
- Do you feel any discomfort when you remember that money, or has it become just another line item?
The hadith teaches that good that is delayed can become a burden on the heart, even if it is not sinful. The remedy is to treat distributable charity like a hot coal: handle it carefully, but do not hold it longer than necessary.
5. Three Questions to Close With
- Is there any “gold” in your possession—money, time, skills, resources—that you know should have already reached its rightful recipients or purposes, but you have kept delaying?
- When you remember that undelivered good, do you feel the Prophet’s kind of discomfort (“I hated to spend the night with it”), or have you grown comfortable with delay?
- What one step can you take in the next 48 hours to move that good from your possession to its place—so that it no longer “detains” your heart?