Question

I read this in a book:

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has stated, “Allah makes three people enter Jannat [by virtue of] a morsel of bread and a handful of dates or anything besides them which benefits a poor person. The owner of the house who orders it, his wife who prepares it, and and the servant who goes to give it to the poor.’ Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then said, ‘All praises are for Allah, Who has not left out even our servants [i.e., they are also made to enter Jannah due to participating according to their ability and conveying the Sadaqah to the poor].”

Is this Hadith reliable?

Answer

This particular version is recorded by Imam Hakim (rahimahullah) in his Mustadrak with a very weak chain.

Mustadrak Hakim with Talkhis of Dhahabi, vol. 4, pg. 134. Also see Faydul Qadir, Hadith: 1904)

However, Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has cited the following  similar narration which should rather be quoted.

Sayyidatuna ‘Aishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“When a woman spends [in charity] fairly [without wastage] from the food of her home, she is rewarded for spending from the wealth, her husband is rewarded for his earning that item and the servant is also rewarded. The reward of each does not decrease the others in the least bit.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 1425) Also see here.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar