The Upper Hand
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدٌ، وَعُرْوَةُ، سَمِعَا حَكِيمَ بْنَ حِزَامٍ، يَقُولُ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَعْطَانِي ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُهُ فَأَعْطَانِي ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُهُ فَأَعْطَانِي ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّ هَذَا الْمَالَ خَضِرَةٌ حُلْوَةٌ فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ بِطِيبِ نَفْسٍ بُورِكَ لَهُ فِيهِ وَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ بِإِشْرَافِ نَفْسٍ لَمْ يُبَارَكْ لَهُ فِيهِ وَكَانَ كَالَّذِي يَأْكُلُ وَلاَ يَشْبَعُ وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى " .
Sa'eed and 'Urwah narrated that they heard Hakim bin Hizam say: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he gave me, then I asked him and he gave me, then I asked him and he gave me. Then he said: "This wealth is attractive and sweet. Whoever takes it without insisting, it will be blessed for him, and whoever takes it with avarice, it will not be blessed for him. He is like one who eats and is not satisfied. And the upper hand is better than the lower hand."'