, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “O women! Spend in charity, even if it is from your jewelry.” “So I went back and said to ‘Abdullaah: ‘You are a poor man, and the Mes- senger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, commanded us to spend in charity, so go and ask him if spending it on our family (him and their children) would suffice, or else I would have to spend it on others.”1 ‘Abdullaah said: “No, you go and ask him.”2 She said: “I went to ask and found another woman from the Ansaar waiting at the door of the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who want- ed to ask the same question. People revered the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and would not go into his house. Bilaal (a Companion) came out and we requested him to go back to the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and inform him that there are two women at his door asking him the following, ‘Is it permissible to spend charity on their husbands and orphans that they are looking after?’ She said to Bilaal: “Do not tell him who we are.” She continued: “Bilaal entered upon the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and informed him. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked him: “Who are they?”” Bilaal said: “A woman from the Ansaar and Zaynab.” The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked: “Which of the Zaynabs?” Bilaal replied: “The wife of ‘Abdullaah.” The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “They will get twice the reward, one for charity and one for maintaining ties of kinship.”3

“The Messenger of Al- lah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to go the prayer grounds on the day of ‘Eed Al-Adh-ha and ‘Eed Al-Fitr (the two festivals Muslims celebrate) and would start by offering the prayer. Then he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would turn around to people while they were still sitting in their places and address them if he needed to advise them about a certain matter. Then he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would say: “O people! Give alms, give alms, give alms” and women were the ones who would spend the most.”4