Seerah / Madinah
Hakim ibn Hizam asks three times
- Date
- Madinan period · date unknown
- Location
- Madinah
- People
- Hakim ibn Hizam (RA)
Hakim ibn Hizam (RA) narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari that he asked the Prophet ﷺ for wealth three times and was given, then told that wealth taken with a greedy soul is not blessed and that the upper (giving) hand is better — after which he never asked anyone for anything.
As it was narrated
The story, in the words of those who were there
Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ، وَخَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى، وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللَّهُ ". وَعَنْ وُهَيْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَام…
Narrated Hakim bin Hizam:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand (i.e. he who gives in charity is better than him who takes it). One should start giving first to his dependents. And the best object of charity is that which is given by a wealthy person (from the money which is left after his expenses). And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient
وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، أَنَّ حَكِيمَ بْنَ حِزَامٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَعْطَانِي، ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُهُ فَأَعْطَانِي، ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُهُ فَأَعْطَانِي ثُمَّ قَالَ " يَا حَكِيمُ إِنَّ هَذَا الْمَالَ خَضِرَةٌ حُلْوَةٌ، فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ بِسَخَاوَةِ ن…
Narrated `Urwa bin Az-Zubair and Sa`id bin Al-Musaiyab:Hakim bin Hizam said, "(Once) I asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (for something) and he gave it to me. Again I asked and he gave (it to me). Again I asked and he gave (it to me). And then he said, "O Hakim! This property is like a sweet fresh fruit; whoever takes it without greediness, he is blessed in it, and whoever takes it with greediness, he is not blessed in it, and he is like a person who eats but is never satisfied; and the upper (giving) hand is better than the lower (receiving) hand." Hakim added, "I said to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , 'By Him (Allah) Who sent you with the Truth, I shall never accept anything from anybody after you, til…
Lessons
- Contentment brings barakah; greed empties even a full hand.
- Aim to be the one who gives.
Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.
Pause for a moment
Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.
Send salawat ﷺBibliography
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1472, 1427 (Hakim ibn Hizam) · primary source
- Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)