When the verse of charity was revealed, we would carry loads on our backs. A man came and gave so much in charity, so they said: He is showing off. Another man came and gave a Sā‘ in charity, so they said: Allah is no need for the Sā‘ of that one. Then it was revealed: {Those who criticize the contributors among the believers concerning [their] charities and [criticize] the ones who find nothing [to spend] except their effort}

عن أبي مسعود عقبة بن عمرو الأنصاري البدري رضي الله عنه قال: لما نزلت آية الصدقة كنَّا نُحَامِلُ على ظُهُورِنَا، فجاء رجل فتصدق بشيء كثير، فقالوا: مُراءٍ، وجاء رجل آخر فتصدق بصاع، فقالوا: إن الله لَغَنيٌّ عن صاع هذا!؛ فنزلت: (الذين يلمزون المطوعين من المؤمنين في الصدقات والذين لا يجدون إلا جهدهم).

Abu Mas‘ūd ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amr al-Ansāri al-Badri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: 'When the verse of charity was revealed, we would carry loads on our backs (in return for money that we can give for charity). A man came and gave so much in charity, so they said: ‘He is showing off.’ Another man came and gave a Sā‘ in charity, so they said: ‘Allah is no need for the Sā‘ of that one.’ Then it was revealed: {Those who criticize the contributors among the believers concerning [their] charities and [criticize] the ones who find nothing [to spend] except their effort.} [Sūrat At-Tawbah: 79]

Source · Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim

From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).