١ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنِ الرَّجُلِ لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ أَ يَعْطِفُ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ عَلَى مَنْ لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَيَعْطِفُ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ شَهْرٍ عَلَى مَنْ دُونَهُ وَالسَّنَةُ عَلَى نَحْوِ ذَلِكَ أَمْ ذَلِكَ كُلُّهُ الْكَفَافُ الَّذِي لا يُلامُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ هُوَ أَمْرٌ إِنَّ أَفْضَلَكُمْ فِيهِ أَحْرَصُكُمْ عَلَى الرَّغْبَةِ وَالأَثَرَةِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ فَإِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلى‏ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كانَ بِهِمْ خَصاصَةٌ وَالأَمْرُ الآخَرُ لا يُلامُ عَلَى الْكَفَافِ وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ.
1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from ibn Khalid from ‘Uthman from ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah, who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah , this question: ‘There is one who has sustenance for only one day, or for only one month or one year. Should he give preference to another person who does not have sustenance even for one day, or one month or one year, or in all cases, is there no blame in not giving preference because of sustenance being barely enough for himself? 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘There are two issues. Those of you who are more inclined to giving preference to others over themselves are excellent. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has said, “They give preference to others over themselves even though they themselves are in dire need.” (59:9) The other issue is that in not giving preference to others over themselves, they are not blamed; however, a providing hand has the upper hand over a non-providing hand, but you must begin with your dependents.’” 