An Arabi came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "Messenger of Allah, tell me of a deed that will admit me to Paradise."He replied, "Though you have been brief in your speech, you have asked a weighty question. Free a soul, and ransom a slave."The man asked, "Messenger of Allah, are these not the same thing?"He answered, "No. Freeing a soul is to set one free on your own, while ransoming a slave is to help pay toward the price of his freedom. And give a milk-yielding animal as a gift, and show kindness to the wrongdoing relative."The man asked, "What if I cannot manage that?"He said, "Then feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty."The man said, "What if I cannot do that?"He said, "Then enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong."The man asked, "What if I cannot do that?"He said, "Then hold your tongue from all but good."
جاء أعرابي إلى النبي ﷺ، فقال: يا رسول الله، أخبرني بعمل يدخلني الجنة. قال: لئن قصرت في الخطبة لقد عرضت المسألة، أعتق النسمة وفك الرقبة. قال: يا رسول الله، أوما هما سواء؟ قال: لا، عتق النسمة أن تفرد بها، وفك الرقبة أن تعين في ثمنها، والمنحة الوكوف، والفيء على ذي الرحم الظالم. قال: فمن لم يطق ذلك؟ قال: فأطعم الجائع، واسق الظمآن. قال: فإن لم أستطع؟ قال: مر بالمعروف وانه عن المنكر. قال: فمن لم يطق ذاك؟ قال: فكف لسانك إلا من خير.
Ahmad (18647), Abu Dawud Tayalisi (775), Bukhari in Adab al-Mufrad (69), Ibn Hibban (374), Hakim (2/217), and Bayhaqi (10/272–273) all narrated it from the hadith of Isa bin Abdul-Rahman, from Talha Yami, from Abdul-Rahman bin Awsaja, from Bara, who mentioned it. Its isnad is sahih.