On the authority of Abu al-Darda', who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The likeness of one who frees a slave at the time of death is like the likeness of one who gives a gift when he is full."(1)

End of the Book of Manumission
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(1) Its chain of transmission is weak due to the unknown identity of Abu Hubaybah al-Ta'i, for Ibn Ma'in said in the narration of 'Abbas al-Duri: I do not know who he is. Nevertheless, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim declared his hadith authentic, and al-Hafiz deemed it good in al-Fath, 5/374. Abu Ishaq: he is 'Amr ibn 'Abd Allah al-Sabi'i, and Sufyan: he is al-Thawri.

It was also recorded by al-Tirmidhi (2256) and al-Nasa'i (3614) through two chains from Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i, with it. Al-Tirmidhi said: This is a good and authentic hadith.

It is found in the Musnad of Ahmad (21718) and Sahih Ibn Hibban (3336).

It is supported by the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, who said: A man said to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: O Messenger of Allah, which charity is best? He said: "That you give in charity while you are healthy and covetous, hoping for life and fearing poverty, and not delay until when it reaches the throat, you say: So-and-so gets this and so-and-so gets that, while it already belongs to so-and-so." It is found in Sahih al-Bukhari (1419) and Sahih Muslim (1032), and it has preceded with the author at number (2865). And this is its wording.