Skip to content
Assabile
English

Sunan Abu DawudZakat (Kitab Al-Zakat)

O Messenger of Allah, ’Umm Sa‘d died. Which charity is the best?" He said: 'Water.' He said: So, he dug a well and said: "This is for ’Umm Sa‘d

Chapter: On The Excellence Of Supplying Drinking Water

Differing grades 4 scholars’ grades Sunan Abu Dawud 1681

Narrator:Sa‘d ibn Ubāda

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أُمَّ سَعْدٍ مَاتَتْ فَأَىُّ

الصَّدَقَةِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ‏"‏ الْمَاءُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَحَفَرَ بِئْرًا وَقَالَ هَذِهِ لأُمِّ سَعْدٍ

Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he said:

"O Messenger of Allah, ’Umm Sa‘d died. Which charity is the best?" He said: 'Water.' He said: So, he dug a well and said: "This is for ’Umm Sa‘d."

Reported by Abu Dawud (No. 1681).

Copy
Copy:
Report an error

Explanation

The mother of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away, and he asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the best types of charity to give on behalf of his mother. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that the best charity is water. So, he dug a well and made it a charity on behalf of his mother.

Lessons

  • The Hadīth points out that water is one of the best types of charity.
  • The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed Sa‘d to the charity of water, as it is more beneficial in religious and worldly matters, and because of the intense heat, the bad need for water, and the scarcity of water.
  • It indicates that the rewards for charity reach the deceased.
  • It demonstrates the kindness of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him) toward his mother (may Allah be pleased with her).

Explanation in Arabic

تُوُفِّيَتْ أُمُّ سَعْدِ بن عبادة رضي الله عنه، فسألَ النبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عن أفضل أنواع الصدقة لِيتصدَّقَ به عن أُمِّه؟ فأخبره صلى الله عليه وسلم: أنّ أفضلَ الصدقة هي الماء، فَحَفَرَ بئرًا وجَعَلَها صدقةً لأمِّهِ.

  • بيان أنَّ الماء من أفضل أنواع الصدقة.
  • أرشد النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سعدًا إلى صدقة الماء؛ لأنه أعم نفعًا في الأمور الدينية والدنيوية، ولِشدّة الحَرّ والحاجة وقلة الماء.
  • الدلالة على أنّ أجورَ الصدقات تصل إلى الأموات.
  • بر سعد بن عبادة رضي الله عنه بوالدته رضي الله عنهما.

Classical commentary

Al-Azimabadi — Awn al-Ma'bud

( إِنَّ أُمّ سَعْد ) : أَرَادَ بِهِ نَفْسه ( فَأَيّ الصَّدَقَة أَفْضَل ) : أَيْ لِرُوحِهَا ( قَالَ الْمَاء ) : إِنَّمَا كَانَ الْمَاء أَفْضَل لِأَنَّهُ أَعَمّ نَفْعًا فِي الْأُمُور الدِّينِيَّة وَالدُّنْيَوِيَّة خُصُوصًا فِي تِلْكَ الْبِلَاد الْحَارَّة , وَلِذَلِكَ مَنَّ اللَّه تَعَالَى بِقَوْلِهِ { وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً طَهُورًا } كَذَا ذَكَرَهُ الطِّيبِيُّ. وَفِي الْأَزْهَار الْأَفْضَلِيَّة مِنْ الْأُمُور النِّسْبِيَّة : وَكَانَ هُنَاكَ أَفْضَل لِشِدَّةِ الْحَرّ وَالْحَاجَة وَقِلَّة الْمَاء ( فَحَفَرَ ) : أَيْ سَعْد ( وَقَالَ ) : أَيْ سَعْد ( هَذِهِ لِأُمِّ سَعْد ) : أَيْ هَذِهِ الْبِئْر صَدَقَة لَهَا. قَالَ الْمُنْذِرِيُّ وَأَخْرَجَهُ النَّسَائِيُّ بِنَحْوِهِ مِنْ حَدِيث سَع…

Read more

Scholars’ grades

The 4 scholars cited do not give the same grade: each one is shown below.

ScholarGradeApplies toWork
Al-Albanid. 1420 AH Good (hasan)Hasan حسن The hadith No. 1681
Shu'ayb al-Arna'utd. 1438 AH WeakDaif The hadith No. 1681
Zubair Ali Zaid. 1435 AH WeakDaif The hadith No. 1681
Muhammad Muhyi al-Din Abd al-Hamidd. 1392 AH Good (hasan)Hasan The hadith No. 1681

Other versions

Weak Mishkat al-Masabih 1912

Sa‘d b. ‘Ubada told God’s messenger that Umm Sa'd had died and asked him what form of sadaqa was best. When he replied that water was best, he dug a well and said it was for Umm Sa'd. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أُمَّ سَعْدٍ مَاتَتْ فَأَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ: «الْمَاءُ» . فَحَفَرَ بِئْرًا وَقَالَ: هَذِهِ لأم سعد. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ

Narrated by Sa‘d ibn Ubāda

Also reported by… (2)
  • تاريخ جرجان للسهمي (103)أَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَفْضَلُ ؟ قَالَ : الْمَاءُ
  • معجم الصحابة لابن قانع (437)مَاتَتْ فَأَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَفْضَلُ ؟ قَالَ : الْمَاءُ

On the same subject

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Bulugh al-Maram 960

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger, my mother had died suddenly, and did not make a will. And I think she would have given out Sadaqah if she had been able to speak, so will she get a reward if I gave out Sadaqah on her behalf?" He replied, "Yes." [Agreed upon; the wording…

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ ‏-رَضِيَ اَللَّهُ عَنْهَا‏- { أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَى اَلنَّبِيَّ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ ! إِنَّ أُمِّي اُفْتُلِتَتْ نَفْسُهَا وَلَمْ تُوصِ , وَأَظُنُّهَا لَوْ تَكَلَّمَتْ…

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 9 other versions

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 2882

A man said: Messenger of Allah, my mother has died ; will it benefit her if I give sadaqah on her behalf ? He said: Yes. He said: I have a garden, and I call you to witness that I have given it as sadaqah on her behalf.

أُمِّي تُوُفِّيَتْ أَفَيَنْفَعُهَا إِنْ تَصَدَّقْتُ عَنْهَا فَقَالَ ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَإِنَّ لِي مَخْرَفًا وَإِنِّي أُشْهِدُكَ أَنِّي قَدْ تَصَدَّقْتُ بِهِ عَنْهَا

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 6 other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 2756

The mother of Sa`d bin 'Ubada died in his absence. He said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! My mother died in my absence; will it be of any benefit for her if I give Sadaqa on her behalf?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes," Sa`d said, "I make you a witness that I gave my garden called Al Makhraf in charity on…

فَإِنِّي أُشْهِدُكَ أَنَّ حَائِطِي الْمِخْرَافَ صَدَقَةٌ عَلَيْهَا‏.‏

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 1 other version

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 2760

A man said to the Prophet, "My mother died suddenly, and I think that if she could speak, she would have given in charity. May I give in charity on her behalf?" He said, "Yes! Give in charity on her behalf."

أُمِّي افْتُلِتَتْ نَفْسَهَا، وَأُرَاهَا لَوْ تَكَلَّمَتْ تَصَدَّقَتْ، أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ عَنْهَا قَالَ ‏"‏ نَعَمْ، تَصَدَّقْ عَنْهَا ‏"

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Sunan an-Nasa'i 3650

"Sa'd bin 'Ubadah went out with the Prophet on one of his campaigns, and death came to his mother in Al-Madinah. It was said to her (as she was dying): 'Make a will.' She said: 'To whom shall I make a will? The wealth belongs to Sa'd.' Then she died before Sa'd came. When Sa'd came, he was told…

يَنْفَعُهَا أَنْ أَتَصَدَّقَ عَنْهَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"

+ 1 other version

Topics

English
Thursday, October 15, 2026 4 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ

About Privacy