عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَىٰ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ الله! أَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَعْظَمُ أَجْراً؟ قَالَ: «أَنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ شَحِيحٌ تَخْشَىٰ الْفَقْرَ، وَتَأْمُلُ الْغِنَىٰ، وَلَا تُمْهِلُ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ قُلْتَ: لِفُلَانٍ كَذَا وَلِفُلَانٍ كَذَا، وَقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلَانٍ». مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
«الْحُلْقُوم»: مَجْرَىٰ النَّفَسِ. وَ«الْمَرِيءُ»: مَجْرَىٰ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ.
Translation:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, which charity is greatest in reward?” He said: “That you give charity while you are healthy, stingy, fearing poverty, and hoping for wealth—and you do not delay until when death reaches your throat, you say, ‘Give so-and-so such-and-such, and so-and-so such-and-such,’ when it had already belonged to so-and-so.” (Agreed upon)
“The throat-passage (al-ḥulqūm) is the passage of breath. The esophagus (al-marīʾ) is the passage of food and drink.”
1. Connection to the Chapter
This hadith is the emotional and spiritual core of the chapter on hastening to good deeds. The questioner does not ask about the best time to give, or the safest amount; he asks which charity carries the greatest reward. The Prophet’s answer redirects the focus from the external form of charity to the internal state of the giver and the timing relative to death.
The greatest charity, in this framing, is not the largest sum, but the one given when it is hardest: while you are alive, attached to your wealth, afraid of becoming poor, and still dreaming of getting richer. Imam al-Nawawi places this narration here to show that “hastening” is most valuable when it goes against your own greed and fear.
2. Key Concept Breakdown
- Which charity is greatest in reward? — The question assumes that not all charity is equal. The man wants to maximize his return, not just check a box. This is the mindset of someone who sees every dirham as a potential seed for the Hereafter.
- While you are healthy — Not on a deathbed, not when giving no longer costs you anything. “Healthy” here means full access to your faculties, your income, and your choices. It is the time when charity is truly a test.
- Stingy (shaḥīḥ) — This is not a neutral description; it is a diagnosis. The word points to someone who clings to wealth, hates spending it, and feels pain at the idea of letting go. The Prophet does not say, “when you are generous”; he says, “when you are stingy”—meaning, when giving is hardest for your nature.
- Fearing poverty, hoping for wealth — This captures the psychology of attachment: you are scared of losing what you have, and you are chasing more. It is precisely in this state—between fear and greed—that charity becomes most transformative.
- Do not delay until death reaches your throat — The throat-passage is the point of no return, when the soul is being pulled out. At that moment, a person may start making bequests: “Give this to X, that to Y.” But the Prophet points out the bitter truth: by then, it is no longer really your choice; the wealth is already leaving you whether you like it or not.
- When it had already belonged to so-and-so — At the point of death, your “giving” is just naming who will inherit what is already exiting your possession. The real test was earlier, when you could have given while it still hurt.
3. Hadith Lessons
- The value of charity is measured by what it costs you, not just by the amount.
A small sum given while you are terrified of poverty can outweigh a large sum given when you no longer care. The hadith shifts the metric from quantity to sacrifice and timing. - The best time to give is when you feel you can least afford it.
This is counterintuitive. Most people wait until they are “comfortable” or “sure” they have enough. The Prophet teaches that the greatest reward lies in giving precisely when you are afraid of losing and hungry for more. That is when charity breaks the grip of greed. - Deathbed bequests are not the same as lifetime charity.
The hadith draws a sharp line between giving while alive and allocating wealth when death is imminent. At the throat-passage, you are no longer choosing in freedom; you are watching wealth leave and trying to assign it. The real opportunity was earlier, when you could have given while it still belonged to you by choice. - Hastening to charity is a protection against the self’s greed.
The command “do not delay” is not only about time; it is about not letting your stinginess win. Every moment you wait, your attachment grows. Acting early is a way of refusing to let fear and greed dictate your final state.
4. Special Reflections: The Stingy Giver
This hadith does not ask you to wait until you become naturally generous. It addresses you as you are: attached to your money, scared of poverty, dreaming of more. It says: that is exactly the state in which your charity can be greatest.
For the modern reader, this is brutally honest. Many of us say, “I will give more when I earn more,” or “when my loans are paid,” or “when I feel secure.” The Prophet’s answer implies: if you wait for that feeling, you may miss the window of highest reward. The test is to give while you still feel the pinch, while you still worry about next month’s rent, while you still want to buy that extra thing for yourself.
This does not mean reckless giving that harms your dependents; it means refusing to let fear of poverty become an excuse for never giving at all. It means setting a portion aside for Allah even when your heart protests.
5. Three Questions to Close With
- When you imagine giving charity right now, what is the loudest voice in your head: fear of poverty, hope for more wealth, or trust that what you give will not decrease you?
- Is there a level of giving that would actually feel costly to you today—not symbolic, but meaningful—and what is stopping you from starting at that level now rather than “later”?
- If death reached your throat tonight, what would you wish you had done with your wealth while you were still healthy and in control—and what part of that can you begin in the next few days?