عَادَنِي النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَامَ حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ مِنْ مَرَضٍ أَشْفَيْتُ مِنْهُ عَلَى الْمَوْتِ، فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، بَلَغَ بِي مِنَ الْوَجَعِ مَا تَرَى، وَأَنَا ذُو مَالٍ وَلاَ يَرِثُنِي إِلاَّ ابْنَةٌ لِي وَاحِدَةٌ، أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِثُلُثَىْ مَالِي قَالَ " لاَ ". قَالَ فَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِشَطْرِهِ قَالَ " الثُّلُثُ يَا سَعْدُ، وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ، إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَذَرَ ذُرِّيَّتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَذَرَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ ". قَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ " أَنْ تَذَرَ ذُرِّيَّتَكَ، وَلَسْتَ بِنَافِقٍ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ آجَرَكَ اللَّهُ بِهَا، حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَجْعَلُهَا فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ ". قُلْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أُخَلَّفُ بَعْدَ أَصْحَابِي قَالَ " إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُخَلَّفَ فَتَعْمَلَ عَمَلاً تَبْتَغِي بِهِ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ ازْدَدْتَ بِهِ دَرَجَةً وَرِفْعَةً، وَلَعَلَّكَ تُخَلَّفُ حَتَّى يَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ أَقْوَامٌ، وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ، اللَّهُمَّ أَمْضِ لأَصْحَابِي هِجْرَتَهُمْ، وَلاَ تَرُدَّهُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ، لَكِنِ الْبَائِسُ سَعْدُ ابْنُ خَوْلَةَ يَرْثِي لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ تُوُفِّيَ بِمَكَّةَ ". وَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ وَمُوسَى عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ " أَنْ تَذَرَ وَرَثَتَكَ ".
In the year of Hajjat-ul-Wada` the Prophet (ﷺ) visited me when I fell ill and was about to die because ofthat illness. I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I am very ill as you see, and I am a rich man and have no heirexcept my only daughter. Shall I give 2/3 of my property in charity?" He said, "No." I said, "Shall Ithen give one half of it in charity?" He said, "O Sa`d! Give 1/3 (in charity) and even 1/3 is too much.No doubt, it is better to leave your children rich than to leave them poor, reduced to begging fromothers. And Allah will reward you for whatever you spend with the intention of gaining Allah'sPleasure even if it were a mouthful of food you put into your wives mouth." I said, "O Allah'sApostle! Am I to be left behind (in Mecca) after my companions have gone?" He said, "If you shouldbe left behind, you will be upgraded and elevated for every deed you will do with a desire to achieveAllah's Pleasure. I hope that you will live long so that some people will benefit by you while otherswill be harmed. O Allah! Please fulfill the migration of my companions and do not make them turnback on their heels. But (we feel sorry for) the unlucky Sa`d bin Khaulah." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) lamentedhis death in Mecca.