Hadith: Arabic Text followed by English Translation.
عن أَبي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا قَالَ
أَنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ شَحِيحٌ تَخْشَى الْفَقْرَ وَتَأْمُلُ الْغِنَى وَلا تُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتْ الْحُلْقُومَ قُلْتَ لِفُلانٍ كَذَا وَلِفُلانٍ كَذَا وَقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلانٍ
رواه البخاري ١٤١٩ ومسلم ١٠٣٢
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, which charity brings a greater reward?” He said,
If you give in charity when you are healthy and miserly, fearing poverty and hoping for richness. Do not delay until you are at the point of death and you say, ‘Give this to So and so, give this to So and so,’ Lo! It has already come into (the possession of) so-and- so
Narrated by Bukhari, 1419 and Muslim 1032