The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, gave precedence to the needy over his family

`Ali ibn Abu Taalib (the Prophet’s cousin and the fourth Caliph) reported that Faatimah (the Prophet’s daughter) complained of the injuries she would sustain due to her using the quern, so she went to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wanting to ask him for a servant, but she did not find him, and she mentioned that to `Aa’ishah. When he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came, she (`Aa’ishah) told him. `Ali said: “When he came to us, we were already in bed, and we were about to stand, but he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Stay in your place.’ So we stayed in our places. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sat between us, to the point that I felt the coldness of his feet on my chest. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Shall I not tell you about what is better for you than a servant? When you are about to sleep, or have gone to bed, say Allahu Akbar thirty-three times, Subhaan Allah thirty-three times, and Al-Hamdu Lillaah thirty-three times. That is better for you than a servant.’”

“I will not give you and allow the stomachs of the people of As-Suffah to contract from intense hunger.” Another time, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “I will not give you a servant while the people of As-Suffah are twisting from hunger.”