Sahih Muslim: Book 1, Hadith 156
Abu Dharr reported: I said: Messenger of Allah, which of the deeds is the best? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Belief in Allah and Jihad in His cause. I again asked: Who is the slave whose emancipation is the best? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: One who is valuable for his master and whose price is high. I said: If I can’t afford to do it? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Help an artisan or make anything for the unskilled (labourer). I (Abu Dharr) said: Messenger of Allah, you see that I am helpless in doing some of these deeds. He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Desist from doing mischief to the people. That is the charity of your person on your behalf.
حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا خَلَفُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، – وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ – حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي مُرَاوِحٍ اللَّيْثِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الأَعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ” الإِيمَانُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِهِ ” . قَالَ قُلْتُ أَىُّ الرِّقَابِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ” أَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا وَأَكْثَرُهَا ثَمَنًا ” . قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ لَمْ أَفْعَلْ قَالَ ” تُعِينُ صَانِعًا أَوْ تَصْنَعُ لأَخْرَقَ ” . قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ ضَعُفْتُ عَنْ بَعْضِ الْعَمَلِ قَالَ ” تَكُفُّ شَرَّكَ عَنِ النَّاسِ فَإِنَّهَا صَدَقَةٌ مِنْكَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ ” .
Sahih Muslim: Book 1, Hadith 156
The above hadith is from the Sahih Muslim collection of hadiths. Sahih Muslim is a highly esteemed compilation of hadith and sunnah, assembled by the renowned Islamic scholar Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj. His work was completed around the year 875. This collection is universally regarded as one of the most authentic and valuable texts within Sunni Islam. It holds a permanent position as one of the six canonical hadith collections, known collectively as the Kutub al-Sittah. These six foundational books are Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sunan an-Nasa’i, and Sunan ibn Majah. The Sahih Muslim itself is an extensive work, containing approximately 7,459 individual hadiths meticulously organized across 56 distinct books.
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For more Hadith in Book 1: The Book of Faith