Sunan an-Nasa’i: Book 23, Hadith 114
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said: “The parable of the miser and the one who gives in charity is that of two men wearing coats of mail with their hands tied to their collarbones. Every time the one who gives thinks of giving in charity, the (coat of mail) expands until it obliterates his traces, and every time the miser thinks of giving charity, every circle (of the coat of mail) contracts and sticks to him, and his hand is tied up to his collarbones.” I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “He tries to expand it, but he cannot.”
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” مَثَلُ الْبَخِيلِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِ مَثَلُ رَجُلَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا جُنَّتَانِ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ قَدِ اضْطَرَّتْ أَيْدِيَهُمَا إِلَى تَرَاقِيهِمَا فَكُلَّمَا هَمَّ الْمُتَصَدِّقُ بِصَدَقَةٍ اتَّسَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى تُعَفِّيَ أَثَرَهُ وَكُلَّمَا هَمَّ الْبَخِيلُ بِصَدَقَةٍ تَقَبَّضَتْ كُلُّ حَلْقَةٍ إِلَى صَاحِبَتِهَا وَتَقَلَّصَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَانْضَمَّتْ يَدَاهُ إِلَى تَرَاقِيهِ ” . وَسَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ” فَيَجْتَهِدُ أَنْ يُوَسِّعَهَا فَلاَ تَتَّسِعُ ” .
Sunan an-Nasa’i: Book 23, Hadith 114
The above hadith is from the Sunan an-Nasa’i collection of hadiths. Compiled by the renowned Islamic scholar Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb al-Nasa’i during the 9th century, the Sunan an-Nasa’i is a pillar of Sunni hadith literature. It is universally recognized as one of the six most important collections, the Kutub al-Sittah. The text is comprised of more than 5,700 individual narrations that meticulously document the traditions and practices of the Prophet Muhammad. What sets al-Nasa’i’s work apart is his exceptionally rigorous critical approach to evaluating the chains of narration. His deliberate exclusion of unreliable reports has led scholars throughout history to regard the Sunan as one of the most trustworthy and authoritative sources for authentic hadith.
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For more Hadith in Book 23: The Book of Zakah