Ahmad 5680

Its isnad is sahih. Ishaq bin Saeed bin Amr bin Saeed bin As bin Saeed bin As bin Umaya is trustworthy (thiqah). Nasai and others confirmed his reliability, and Ahmad said, "There is no harm in him." Bukhari and Muslim both narrated from him, and Bukhari included his biography in Kabir 1/1/391. His father, Saeed bin Amr, was already confirmed as trustworthy at 5017.This hadith appears in Majma al-Zawaid 3:96, where it is said, "Ahmad narrated it, and its narrators are the narrators of sahih." Its beginning, up to the words "spared his own face," appears in Targhib wal-Tarhib 2:2, where it is said, "Ahmad narrated it, and all its narrators are well-known and trustworthy."Kuduh: Ibn Athir said it means scratches. Any mark left by a scratch or a bite is called kadh. It may also be a verbal noun used to name the mark itself.An zahr ghani (from surplus wealth), meaning what is left over freely, exceeding one's wealth. It has also been said that it means what remains after providing for one's dependents. The word "zahr" (back) is sometimes added in expressions like this to give fullness and weight to the speech, as though the charity were being supported by a strong "back" of wealth. This was said in explaining the hadith, "The best charity is that given from surplus wealth," which is an established sahih hadith narrated from Jabir, appearing later in the Musnad at 14583 and 14782, and also narrated by Muslim and Nasai, as in Jami Saghir 1260, and from Abu Hurairah, narrated by Bukhari, Abu Dawud, and Nasai, as also found in Jami Saghir 4021. This much is clear.At first glance, the reader might imagine that the wording found here, "The best request is a request made from surplus wealth," contains a distortion or an error on the part of copyists or narrators, especially since a hadith with a daif isnad from Ali, attributed to the Prophet, has already passed at 1252, "Whoever makes a request while having surplus wealth increases thereby the heated stones of Hell."Perhaps it is precisely this doubt that led Hafiz Munziri to mention only the beginning of the hadith and leave out its end, as a precaution against error or distortion. But the agreement of the three original manuscripts on the wording found here, and its confirmation in Majma al-Zawaid, removes the possibility of error or distortion, and instead confirms the wording of "the request" through its repetition, "The best request is a request made from surplus wealth."So all the narrations are sound in meaning. "The best charity is that given from surplus wealth" refers to the wealth of the one giving charity, as is clear, describing the condition of the one giving charity. The hadith of Ali, "Whoever makes a request while having surplus wealth," describes the condition of the one asking at the time of his asking, whereas what is here, "The best request is a request made from surplus wealth," describes the condition of the one being asked, not the one asking, and the context supports and reinforces this."The easiest request is a request made of a blood relative, whom one asks in time of need, and the best request is a request made from surplus wealth." This shows that asking is permitted in a specific situation, defined here as asking a close relative, and that this asking should occur when the one asking is in genuine need that compels him to ask, and that the best of this is that he ask a wealthy relative at the time of need, so that the poor person does not overburden his relatives with asking. This is a subtle and remarkable meaning we have not seen except in this hadith.As for the words, "Begin with those you support," this has already appeared in another hadith from Ibn Umar, narrated by Qaqa bin Hakeem from him, at 4474. See also 3675, 4207, 4440, and 5616.