Sa'd narrated it on the authority of his father (Abi Waqqas) that he observed: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) distributed shares (of booty among his Companions). I said: Messenger of Allah! ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) Give it to so and so, for verily he is a believer. Upon this the Apostle of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) remarked: Or a Muslim. I (the narrator) repeated it (the word" believer") thrice and he (the Holy Prophet) turned his back upon me (and substituted the word)" Muslim," and then observed: I bestow it (this share) to a man out of apprehension lest Allah should throw him prostrate into the fire (of Hell) whereas in fact the other man is dearer to me than he.

It is narrated on the authority of Sa'd that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) bestowed upon a group of persons (things), and Sa'd was sitting amongst them. Sa'd said: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) ignored some of them. And he who was ignored seemed to be more deserving in my eyes (as compared with others). I (Sa'd) said: Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) I why is it that you did not give to such and such (man)? Verily I see him a believer. Upon this the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) observed: Or a Muslim? I kept quiet for some time but I was again impelled (to express) what I knew about him. I said: Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) why is it that you did not give it to such and such? Verily, by Allah, see him a believer. Upon this the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) remarked: (Nay, not a believer) but a Muslim. He (Sa'd) said: I again kept quite for some time but what I knew about him again impelled me (to express my opinion) and I said: Why is it that you did not give (the share) to so and so: By Allah, verily I see him a believer. The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) remarked; (Nay, not so) but a Muslim. Verily (at times) I give (a share) to a certain man apprehending that he may not be thrown prostrate in the Fire, whereas the other man (who is not given) is dearer to me (as compared with him).

Sa'd reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) bestowed upon a group of persons (booty) and I was sitting with them. The remaining part of the hadith is the same as mentioned (above) with the additionI stood up and went to the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and whispered to him: Why did you omit such and such a man?

The same hadith has been narrated on the authority of Muhammad b Sa'd and these words (are also there): The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) gave a stroke on my neck or between my two shoulders and said: Sa'd, do you fight with me simply because I gave (a share) to a man?

Sa'd reported that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) bestowed (some gifts) upon a group of people and I was sitting amongst them. The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) , however, left a person and he did not give him anything, and he seemed to me the most excellent among them (and thus deserved the gifts more than anyone else). So I stood up before the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and said to him in undertone: Messenger of Allah, what about so and so? By Allah, I find him a believer. He (the Messenger of Allah) ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: He may be a Muslim. I kept quiet for a short while, and then what I knew of him urged me (to plead his case again) and I said: Messenger of Allah, what about so and so? By Allah, I find him a believer. Upon this he (the Holy Prophet) said: He may be a Muslim. I again remained quiet for a short while, and what I knew of him again urged me to plead his case so I said: Messenger of Allah, what about so and so? By Allah, I find him a believer. Upon this he (the Holy Prophet) said: He may be a Muslim. I often bestow (something) upon a person, whereas someone else is dearer to me than he, because of the fear that he may fall headling into the fire. And in the hadith transmitted by Hulwani this statement was repeated twice.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Muhammad bin Sa'd through another chain of transmitters (and the words are): "The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) struck between my neck and shoulder with his hand and said: Do you wrangle, O Sa'd, because I bestow (some gifts) upon a person?"