Sunan an-Nasa'i 2534
سنن النسائي#2534Sahihأَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ " .
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said:"The best of charity is that which is given when you are self-sufficient, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and start with those for whom you are responsible
Scholarly Authentication
The label above is the grade most of these scholars gave — one dissenting opinion no longer speaks for all of them. If any scholar calls a narration fabricated, that verdict is shown instead, whatever the others say. Each scholar's own wording:
In-book reference: 23:100