Sunan an-Nasai Book 23, Hadith 2547

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ مَثَلَ الْمُنْفِقِ الْمُتَصَدِّقِ وَالْبَخِيلِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا جُبَّتَانِ أَوْ جُنَّتَانِ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ مِنْ لَدُنْ ثُدِيِّهِمَا إِلَى تَرَاقِيهِمَا فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الْمُنْفِقُ أَنْ يُنْفِقَ اتَّسَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الدِّرْعُ أَوْ مَرَّتْ حَتَّى تُجِنَّ بَنَانَهُ وَتَعْفُوَ أَثَرَهُ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ الْبَخِيلُ أَنْ يُنْفِقَ قَلَصَتْ وَلَزِمَتْ كُلُّ حَلْقَةٍ مَوْضِعَهَا حَتَّى أَخَذَتْهُ بِتَرْقُوَتِهِ أَوْ بِرَقَبَتِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ يَقُولُ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ رَأَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُوَسِّعُهَا فَلاَ تَتَّسِعُ ‏.‏ قَالَ طَاوُسٌ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يُشِيرُ بِيَدِهِ وَهُوَ يُوَسِّعُهَا وَلاَ تَتَوَسَّعُ ‏.‏

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:"The Messenger of Allah said: "The parable of the one who spends and give in charity, and the one who is miserly, is that of two men wearing coats of mail, with their hands pressed closely to their breasts and their collarbones. When the one who spends wants to give charity, the (coat of mail) expends so much that it covers his fingertips and obliterates his traces. But when the miser wants to give, the (coat of mail) contracts and every ring grips the place where it is, and his hands are tied up to his collarbone."' Abu Hurairah says: 'I swear that he saw the Messenger trying to expand it but it did not." Tawus said: "I heard Abu Hurairah said: "I heard Abu Hurairah illustrating with his hand trying to expand it but it did not." (Sahaih)