The best dinar a man spends is a dinar that he spends on his dependents, and a dinar that a man spends on his mount in the cause of Allah, and a dinar that he spends on his companions in the cause of Allah
Thawbān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"The best dinar a man spends is a dinar that he spends on his dependents, and a dinar that a man spends on his mount in the cause of Allah, and a dinar that he spends on his companions in the cause of Allah." Abu Qilābah said: He began with the dependents. Then Abu Qilābah said: No man is greater in reward than a man who spends on young dependents, by virtue of whom Allah makes them chaste, or brings them benefit and enriches them.
«أَفْضَلُ دِينَارٍ يُنْفِقُهُ الرَّجُلُ، دِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ، وَدِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، وَدِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ» قَالَ أَبُو قِلَابَةَ: وَبَدَأَ بِالْعِيَالِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو قِلَابَةَ: وَأَيُّ رَجُلٍ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا مِنْ رَجُلٍ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى عِيَالٍ صِغَارٍ، يُعِفُّهُمْ أَوْ يَنْفَعُهُمُ اللهُ بِهِ وَيُغْنِيهِمْ.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified some forms of spending and put them in order according to the most obligatory ones in case numerous channels of spending crowd together, starting with the most important and then the next in importance. He stated that the money that brings one the highest reward for spending is the money that a Muslim spends on his dependents, like his wife and children, followed by spending on the mount that is prepared for war in the cause of Allah, then spending on one's friends and companions if they are fighters in the cause of Allah.
Arranging the channels of spending in order according to their merit in the way mentioned, and this order should be observed in case of numerous options.
Demonstrating that providing for one's dependents takes priority in terms of merit over other forms of spending.
Spending on Jihad in the cause of Allah, like preparing equipment and men for Jihad, is from the greatest channels of spending.
It was said: "In the cause of Allah" refers to every act of obedience, like Hajj, for instance.
Sahīh Muslim (2/ 691) (994).
More (8)
كنوز رياض الصالحين.
لمجموعة من الباحثين (5/ 315).
شرح رياض الصالحين.
لابن عثيمين (3/ 156).
نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين.
لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 291).
بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين.
لسليم الهلالي (1/ 374).
Cited in books
3 Books- A Brief Outline of Islam according to the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah“The best dinar a man spends is: a dinar that he spends on his family, a dinar that he spends on his mount in the cause of Allah, and a dinar that he spends on his companions in the cause of Allah.” Abu Qilābah (one of the narrators) said:
- Rawh wa Rayāhīn Sharh Riyād Al-Sālihīnرياض الصالحين مع فوائد وهدايات - 2“The most excellent dinar that a man spends is the dinar that he spends on his dependents, and the dinar that he spends on his riding-animal in the cause of Allah, and the dinar that he spends on his companions in the cause of Allah.”