Kitāb al-Muʾmin

Hadith 165
spendingslavery-captives
165 - وعن أمير المؤمنين علي عليه السلام أنه قال: لان أطعم أخاك لقمة، أحب إلي من أن أتصدق بدرهم، ولان أعطيه درهما، أحب إلي من أن أتصدق بعشرة، ولان أعطيه عشرة، أحب إلي من أن أعتق رقبة.
165. It has been narrated that Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s) said: Feeding your brother a mouthful is more loveable to me than giving a dirham in charity; and giving him a dirham is more lovable to me than giving ten in charity; and giving him ten Dirhams is more loveable to me than freeing a slave.
Source: Ḥusayn b. Saʿīd al-Ahwāzī

Similar narrations

  • Al-Kāfi #740 “Feeding a needy believer is more beloved to me than visiting him, and to visit him is more beloved to me than setting free of ten slaves.”
  • Al-Kāfi #742 “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Feeding a believer is, indeed, more beloved to me than setting free ten slaves and performing ten Hajj.’ I...
  • Kitāb al-Muʾmin #160 If two believers were to enter the house of a believer and he were to feed them to full, this would be better than freeing a slave.”
  • Kitāb al-Muʾmin #159 Feeding four Muslims is equal to freeing a slave from the descendants of Prophet Ishmael.
All narrations in The Reward of one who Feeds a Believer, Quenches his Thirst, Clothes him or Pays off his Debt Browse all books Search more hadith