The wealthy took the rewards

Arabic

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ذَهَبَ أَهْلُ الدُّثُورِ بِالْأُجُورِ، يُصَلُّونَ كَمَا نُصَلِّي وَيَصُومُونَ كَمَا نَصُومُ وَيَتَصَدَّقُونَ بِفُضُولِ أَمْوَالِهِمْ. قَالَ: أَوَلَيْسَ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ مَا تَصَّدَّقُونَ؟ إِنَّ بِكُلِّ تَسْبِيحَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَكُلِّ تَكْبِيرَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَكُلِّ تَحْمِيدَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَكُلِّ تَهْلِيلَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَأَمْرٍ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَنَهْيٍ عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ صَدَقَةٌ …

Translation

Poor Companions complained: 'The wealthy take all the rewards — they pray as we pray, fast as we fast, and give charity with their surplus wealth.' He replied: 'Has not Allah given you things to give in charity? Every tasbīḥ is charity, every takbīr is charity, every taḥmīd is charity, every tahlīl is charity, enjoining good is charity, forbidding evil is charity.'

Narrator

Abū Dharr

Source

Muslim 1006

Commentary

Charity is not only wealth. Allah democratised reward — the poorest tongue can outweigh the richest ledger. This hadith is medicine for the worshipper who feels unseen.