Hadith of Ra'itah, the wife of 'Abd Allah, from the Prophet (peace be upon him)

حَدِيثُ رَائِطَةَ (١) امْرَأَةِ عَبْدِ اللهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ١٦٠٨٥ - حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ رَائِطَةَ، امْرَأَةِ عَبْدِ اللهِ - وَكَانَتْ امْرَأَةً صَنَاعًا، وَكَانَتْ تَبِيعُ وَتَصَدَّقُ - فَقَالَتْ لِعَبْدِ اللهِ يَوْمًا: لَقَدْ شَغَلْتَنِي أَنْتَ وَوَلَدُكَ، فَمَا أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَتَصَدَّقَ مَعَكُمْ، فَقَالَ: مَا أُحِبُّ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي ذَلِكَ أَجْرٌ أَنْ تَفْعَلِي، فَسَأَلَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " لَكِ أَجْرُ مَا أَنْفَقْتِ عَلَيْهِمْ " (٢)، ،

Sayyidah Ra’it, who was a skilled woman and used to trade and also give charity in the way of Allah, one day said to her husband, Abdullah: “You and your children have prevented me from giving charity to others, and I am not able to give anything in charity to others in your presence.” Abdullah said to her: “By Allah, if there were no reward for you in this, I would not like it.” So she asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about this and said: “O Messenger of Allah! I am a skilled woman and I do trade, and apart from this, I have no other means for the sustenance of myself, my husband, and my children. So these people have prevented me from giving charity, and I am not able to give anything in charity in their presence. Will I get any reward for what I spend on them?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Keep spending, for whatever you spend on them, you will surely get its reward.”

حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ رَائِطَةَ امْرَأَةِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، وَأُمِّ وَلَدِهِ، وَكَانَتْ امْرَأَةً صَنَاعَ الْيَدِ، قَالَ: فَكَانَتْ تُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى وَلَدِهِ مِنْ صَنْعَتِهَا، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ لِعَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ: لَقَدْ شَغَلْتَنِي أَنْتَ وَوَلَدُكَ عَنِ الصَّدَقَةِ، فَمَا أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَتَصَدَّقَ مَعَكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ، فَقَالَ لَهَا عَبْدُ اللهِ: وَاللهِ مَا أُحِبُّ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي ذَلِكَ أَجْرٌ أَنْ تَفْعَلِي، فَأَتَتْ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي امْرَأَةٌ ذَاتُ صَنْعَةٍ أَبِيعُ مِنْهَا، وَلَيْسَ لِي وَلَا لِوَلَدِي وَلَا لِزَوْجِي نَفَقَةٌ غَيْرَهَا، وَقَدْ شَغَلُونِي عَنِ الصَّدَقَةِ، فَمَا أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَتَصَدَّقَ بِشَيْءٍ، فَهَلْ لِي مِنْ أَجْرٍ فِيمَا أَنْفَقْتُ؟ قَالَ: فَقَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " أَنْفِقِي عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِنَّ لَكِ فِي ذَلِكَ أَجْرَ مَا أَنْفَقْتِ عَلَيْهِمْ " (١)، ،

Sayyidah Ra’it, who was a skilled woman and used to trade and also give charity in the way of Allah, one day said to her husband, Abdullah: “You and your children have prevented me from giving charity to others, and I am not able to give anything in charity to others in your presence.” Abdullah said to her: “By Allah, if there were no reward for you in this, I would not like it.” So she asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about this and said: “O Messenger of Allah! I am a skilled woman and I do trade, and apart from this, I have no other means for the sustenance of myself, my husband, and my children. So these people have prevented me from giving charity, and I am not able to give anything in charity in their presence. Will I get any reward for what I spend on them?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Keep spending, for whatever you spend on them, you will surely get its reward.”