Hadith Details

Discover timeless wisdom from the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Read this hadith in Arabic and English, share it with others, or explore related narrations from the same chapter.

Sunan Abi Dawud

كتاب الزكاة

Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat)

Chapter 9Hadith 1648

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ وَهُوَ يَذْكُرُ الصَّدَقَةَ وَالتَّعَفُّفَ مِنْهَا وَالْمَسْأَلَةَ ‏"‏ الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا الْمُنْفِقَةُ وَالسُّفْلَى السَّائِلَةُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ اخْتُلِفَ عَلَى أَيُّوبَ عَنْ نَافِعٍ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَالَ عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ ‏"‏ الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا الْمُتَعَفِّفَةُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ ‏"‏ الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا الْمُنْفِقَةُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ وَاحِدٌ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ ‏"‏ الْمُتَعَفِّفَةُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

the upper hand is better than the lower one, the upper being the one which bestows and the lower which begs. Abu Dawud said : The version of this tradition narrated by Ayyub from Nafi is disputed. The narrator `Abd al-Warith said in his version : `The upper hand is the one which abstains from begging;” but most of the narrators have narrated from Hammad b. Zaid from Ayyub the words “ The upper hand is the one which bestows.” A narrator from Hammad said in his version “the one which abstains from begging.”

Get Random Hadith

More from Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat)

Other hadiths from the same chapter

Explore Hadith Collections

Discover more authentic hadiths from major Islamic collections.

View all books

Hadith Questions & Answers

Common questions about reading, sharing, and understanding Islamic hadith.

What is hadith in Islam?
A hadith is a narration of what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, did, or approved. Hadith complement the Quran and help Muslims understand how to practice their faith in daily life. Each entry on Random Hadith shows the Arabic text, English translation, and full citation so you can read and verify the source.
How can I share this hadith?
Every hadith on Random Hadith has a unique URL with an id parameter, such as randomhadith.com/?id=1234. Copy the address from your browser, use the share options on the page, or bookmark the link to return to the same narration later. Shared links stay fixed so family and friends always see the same text.
Where does this hadith come from?
Each narration displayed on Random Hadith includes its book, chapter, and hadith number. These references point to established Islamic collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and the Sunan works. You can use the citation to locate the same report in printed editions or to explore related hadiths from the same chapter on this site.
When Allah wants two hearts to meet, what is the hadith?
A widely quoted teaching states that when Allah wants two people to meet, He makes their paths converge — often summarized as when He wants two hearts to meet, they will meet. Muslims frequently reflect on this narration as a reminder of divine decree (qadar), trust in Allah's plan, and patience regarding relationships and life events. Always verify wording and grading with qualified scholars and authentic sources.