Abu Huraira reported that a person came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said:Messenger of Allah, which charity is the greatest in reward? (The Prophet said): By your father, beware, you should give charity (in a state when you are) healthy and close-fisted, haunted by the fear of poverty, and still hoping to live (as rich). And you must not defer charity (to the time) when you are about to die, and would then say:" This is for so and so, and this for so and so." It has already become the possession of so and so
Abdullah b. Umar reported that as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was sitting on the pulpit and talking about Sadaqa and abstention from begging, he said:The upper hand is better than the lower one, the upper being the one which bestows and the lower one which begs
Hakim b. Hizam reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said this:The most excellent Sadaqa or the best of Sadaqa is that after giving which the (giver) remains rich and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and begin from the members of your household
Hakim b. Hizam reported:I begged the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he gave me. I again begged, he again gave me. I again begged, he again gave me, and then said: This property is green and sweet; he who receives it with a cheerful heart is blessed in it, and he who receives it with an avaricious mind would not be blessed in it, he being like one who eats without being satished, and the upper hand is better thad the lower hand
Abu Umama reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:O son of Adam, it is better for you if you spend your surplus (wealth), but if you withhold it, it is evil for you. There is (however) no reproach for you (if you withhold means necessary) for a living. And begin (charity) with your dependents; and the upper hand is better than the lower hand
Mu'awiya said:Be cautious about ahadith except those which were current during the reign of Umar, for he exhorted people to fear Allah, the Exalted and mMajestic. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: He upon whom Allah intends to bestow goodness, He confers upon him an insight in religion; and I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: I am the treasurer. To one whom I give out of (my own) sweet will, he would be blessed in that, but he whom I give (yielding to) his constant begging and for his covetousness is like one who would eat, but would not be satisfied
Mu'awiya reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Do not press in a matter, for I swear by Allah, none of you who asks me for anything and manages to get his request while I disdain it, will he be blessed in that which I give him
Amr b. Dinar reported from Wahb b. Munabbih:I went to his house in San'a' and he offered me nuts grown in his house to eat. And his brother said: I heard Mu'awiya b. Abu Sufyan saying that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying, and then he made a mention (of a hadith) like one mentioned above
Abd al-Rahman b. Auf reported:I heard Mu'awiya b. Abu Sufyan saying in an address that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: He to whom Allah intends to do good, He gives him insight into religion. And I am only the distributor while Allah is the Bestower