The Prophet ﷺ visited Saad in Mecca to check on him during his illness, and Saad wept.The Prophet ﷺ asked, "What makes you weep?"Saad replied, "I fear that I will die in the land from which I migrated, just as Saad bin Khawla died."The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Allah, heal Saad. O Allah, heal Saad," repeating it three times.Saad said, "Messenger of Allah, I have a great deal of wealth, and only my daughter will inherit from me. Shall I bequeath all of my wealth in charity?"He said, "No."Saad asked, "Then two-thirds?"He said, "No."Saad asked, "Then half?"He said, "No."Saad asked, "Then a third?"He said, "A third, and a third is plenty. If you leave your heirs wealthy, that is better than leaving them destitute, begging from people. Whatever you spend seeking the face of Allah will be rewarded, even the morsel you place in your wife's mouth. The charity you give from your wealth is charity, what you spend on your dependents is charity, and what your wife eats from your wealth is charity. Leaving your family well-off is better than leaving them to beg from people." And he gestured with his hand.
أن النبي ﷺ دخل على سعد يعوده بمكة، فبكى، قال: ما يبكيك؟ فقال: قد خشيت أن أموت بالأرض التي هاجرت منها، كما مات سعد بن خولة. فقال النبي ﷺ: اللهم اشف سعدا، اللهم اشف سعدا. ثلاث مرار. قال: يا رسول الله، إن لي مالا كثيرا، وإنما يرثني ابنتي، أفأوصي بمالي كله؟ قال: لا. قال: فبالثلثين؟ قال: لا. قال: فالنصف؟ قال: لا. قال: فالثلث؟ قال: الثلث، والثلث كثير، إن صدقتك من مالك صدقة، وإن نفقتك على عيالك صدقة، وإن ما تأكل امرأتك من مالك صدقة، وإنك أن تدع أهلك بخير- أو قال بعيش- خير من أن تدعهم يتكففون الناس. وقال بيده.
Muslim narrated it in the Chapter on Bequests (1628-8) from Muhammad bin Abu Umar Makki, from Thaqafi, from Ayub Sakhtiyani, from Amr bin Saeed, from Humayd bin Abdul-Rahman, from three of Saad's sons, each of them narrating from their father, and he mentioned it.