When the verse "You who believe, when you consult the Messenger privately, offer something in charity before your consultation" [Mujadilah 58:12] was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ said to me, "What do you think? A dinar?"I replied, "They could not manage that."He said, "Then half a dinar?"I replied, "They could not manage that either."He asked, "Then how much?"I said, "A barley grain."He said, "You certainly ask very little."Then the verse was revealed, "Do you find it too burdensome to offer charity before your private consultation?" [Mujadilah 58:13]. So it was through me that Allah lightened this burden for this community.
لما نزلت: {يأيها الذين امنوا إذا نجيتم الرسول فقدموا بين يدى نجواكم صدقة} قال لي النبي ﷺ: ما ترى؟ دينار؟ قلت: لا يطيقونه. قال: فنصف دينار؟ قلت: لا يطيقونه. قال: فكم؟ قلت: شعيرة. قال: إنك لزهيد قال: فنزلت: {أشفقتم أن تقدموا بين يدى نجوىكم صدقت} قال: فبي خفف الله عن هذه الأمة.
Tirmidhi (3300), Nasai in Khasais Ali (152), and Ibn Hibban (6941) all narrated it through Sufyan Thawri, from Uthman bin Mughira, from Salim bin Abu Jaad, from Ali bin Alqama, from Ali bin Abu Talib, who mentioned it.Tirmidhi said, "This is a hasan gharib hadith, we only know it through this route." He also said, "The meaning of his statement 'a barley grain' is the weight of a barley grain of gold." End of quote.I say, in its chain of transmission is Ali bin Alqama Anmari, who narrated from Ali and Ibn Masud, and Salim bin Abu Jaad narrated from him. Ibn Madini said, "No one narrated from him except him." Bukhari said, "There is something questionable in his hadith," and Aqeeli and Ibn Jarud followed him in this, listing him among the daif narrators. Yet Tirmidhi, as mentioned earlier, graded his hadith hasan, and Ibn Hibban listed him among the reliable narrators and included his hadith in his Sahih. Ibn Adi said, "I do not see anything objectionable in his hadith, and he has nothing from Ali except a small amount."