Charity Begins At Home

Below are the final part of my notes from Lesson 172 in which Hadeeth 658 was covered.

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باب: رَثَي النّبِيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَعْدَ بْنَ خَولَة

Chapter 19. Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mourned Sa'd bin Khaula.

The literal translation of the chapter heading is ‘The Prophet eulogised Sa'd bin Khaula’ but the more meaningful translation is the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) mourned Sa'd bin Khaula (رضى الله عنه). Imam Bukhari (رحمة الله عليه) is trying to show that mourning and weeping is permissible as long as they remain in the confines of the Shariah.

658. عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقّاصٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعُودُنِي عامَ حَجّةِ الْوَدَاعِ, مِنْ وَجَعٍ اشْتَدّ بِي, فَقُلْتُ: إِنّي قَدْ بَلَغَ بِي مِنَ الْوَجَعِ ما ترى, وَأَنَا ذُو مَالٍ, وَلاَ يَرِثُنِي إِلاّ ابْنَةٌ, أَفَأَتَصَدّقُ بِثُلُثَيْ مالِي قَالَ: (لاَ). فَقُلْتُ: بِالشّطْرِ فَقَالَ: (لاَ). ثُمّ قَالَ: (الثّلُثُ وَالثّلُثُ كَبِيرٌ, أَوْ كَثِيرٌ, إِنّكَ أَنْ تَذَرَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ, خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَذَرَهُمْ عالَةً يَتَكَفّفُونَ النّاسَ, وَإِنّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللهِ إِلاّ أُجِرْتَ بِهَا, حَتّى ما تَجْعَلُ فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ). فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ, أُخَلّفُ بَعْدَ أَصْحَابِي قَالَ: (إِنّكَ لَنْ تُخَلّفَ فَتَعْمَلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا إِلاّ ازْدَدْتَ بِهِ دَرَجَةً وَرِفْعَةً, ثُمّ لَعَلّكَ أَنْ تُخَلّفَ حَتّى يَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ أَقْوَامٌ, وَيُضَرّ بِكَ اَخَرُونَ, اللّهُمّ أَمْضِ لأَصْحَابِي هِجْرَتَهُمْ وَلاَ تَرُدّهُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ, لكنِ الْبَائِسُ سَعْدُ بْنُ خَوْلَةَ). يَرْثِي لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ ماتَ بِمَكّةَ. رواه البخاري: 1295

658. Narrated Sa'd bin Abi Waqqâs رضى الله عنه : In the year of the last Hajj of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم , I became seriously ill and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم visited me enquiring about my health. I told him, I am reduced to this state because of illness and I am wealthy and have no inheritors except a daughter. Should I give two-thirds of my property in charity'? He said, No. I asked, Half? He said, No, then he added, One-third, and even one-third is much. You'd better leave your inheritors wealthy rather than leaving them poor, begging others. You will get a reward for whatever you spend for Allâh's sake, even for what you put in your wife's mouth. I said, O Allâh's Messenger! Will I be left alone after my companions have gone? He said, If you are left behind, whatever good deeds you will do, will upgrade you and raise you high. And perhaps you will have a long life so that some people will be benefited by you while others will be harmed by you. O Allâh! Complete the emigration of my companions and do not turn them renegades. But Allâh's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم felt sorry for poor Sa'd bin Khaula as he died in Makka (but Sa'd bin Abi Waqqâs lived long after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم (O.B 2:383.)

Sa'd bin Abi Waqqâs (رضى الله عنه) joined the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in the farewell pilgrimage. However, he became severely ill and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came to visit him. He felt that he wouldn’t live for much longer and he said to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that you can see my pain and suffering i.e. that he may die soon. He said he has a lot of wealth but no heirs or successors except one daughter. He enquired whether he should give two-thirds of his wealth in charity but the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said no. He then asked the same about half. Again, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said ‘no’. He then said one-third. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said yes but said that this is also excessive. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that it is far better than he leaves it for his family so they are self-sufficient and not left to beg, for charity begins at home. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) encouraged him by informing him that he would be rewarded for spending on his family and daughter. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that even placing a morsel of food in the mouth of your wife is sadaqah. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) gave him a very succinct explanation of charity. One should not forget one’s wife, children or family in charity. One has a duty and responsibility to look after one’s family and in this there is a reward if done with the correct intention

Sa'd bin Abi Waqqâs (رضى الله عنه) enquired whether he would be left behind in Makkah. Why didn’t he want to be left in Makkah, in the holiest place where he was born and his family had lived? He was approximately 33 years old at the time. Sa'd bin Abi Waqqâs (رضى الله عنه) had done hijrah from Makkah to Madinah with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). For the sahabah, this was the deed that they cherished the most – they left everything behind and felt that they would never go back to that which they had left for the sake of Allah. Hence, they wanted to die in Madinah or elsewhere but not in Makkah which they had left for the sake of Allah. Hence, he did not want any reduction in his reward for the hijrah. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied that you will never be left behind – even if you are left behind, any good deeds that you do, will result in your status being raised in the sight of Allah. But, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that it is quite possible that your companions will die and you shall live on, so much so that some will benefit from you whilst others will suffer because of you. Sa'd bin Abi Waqqâs (رضى الله عنه) went on to recover from his illness and join the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in Madinah. He lived on for another 48 years and became the commander of the Muslim armies. He was the conqueror of Iraq, and the destroyer of the armies of Persia. This is why the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said ‘Some will benefit from you whilst others will suffer because of you’. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) made a du’a that ‘O Allah! Allow the emigration of my companions to reach its completion and do not turn them back on their heels’. The Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayer was accepted for all of these companions.

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said ‘Poor Sa'd bin Khaula. Poor Sa'd bin Khaula’ – he also fell ill and passed away on the farewell pilgrimage in Makkah. Sa'd bin Abi Waqqâs (رضى الله عنه) survived but Sa'd bin Khaula (رضى الله عنه) died. This is why the chapter heading is ‘The Prophet mourned Sa'd bin Khaula’.

Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) advised about charity and went to visit the sick. The Shaykh mentioned that these were the lessons to take away from this hadeeth. We should be less selfish and visit those that are ill or in need. Secondly, with regards to charity, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) advised that you should not be so generous in charity that you are then left in need but also one should not be stingy. Hence moderation is required even when giving in charity.