Safwaan ibn Umayyah who was a disbeliever (before he embraced Islam) once said, "The Messenger of Allah gave me what he had given me while he was the most hateful of people to me; and he continued to give to me until he became the dearest of all people to me." [Al-Bukhari] He gave him camels and sheep filling a valley until he said, "I testify that none but a Prophet could give this gladly." No soul but that of the Prophet could give that gladly, with full certainty that such benevolence never uses up the property.
It was mentioned that the Prophet spent even when he possessed nothing. It was narrated that a cloak was presented to the Messenger of Allah . A man among his Companions said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Please give it to me to wear.’ The man was blamed by his Companions, who said, ‘How could you ask the Prophet for it while you know that he needs it, and, at the same time, he never turns down anybody's request?’ The man said, ‘I just wanted to take it to be my shroud.’ The Messenger of Allah gave it to him, and returned to put on his old cloak.” [Ahmad]
The Messenger of Allah never turned down any beggar, and always gave in the manner of the one who never feared poverty. He also gave for Islam as gladly as no king like Caesar or Khosrau could have ever given. He never withheld anything from anyone. He himself led a life of poverty. Sometimes one or two months would pass, and no cooking fire was kindled in his house. He used to spend so much for the countenance of his Lord and in the cause of Allah The Almighty. He used to give to the poor, the needy, and anyone else to attract his heart to Islam.
The Prophet used to give others preference over himself and his family. Once, some captives were brought to him, and Faatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, his daughter came to complain to him about the hard work she had to do in the house. On that he said to her: "Should I not guide you to something better than that? When you go to bed, exalt Allah thirty-three times, praise Him thirty-three times and glorify Him thirty-four times." He gave her nothing. He further said to her: "By Allah, I am not to give you, and leave the poor men of Suffah in severe hunger." [Ahmad]
Furthermore, he did not give only money, but he also offered his own self and time, as well as knowledge, because he taught the ignorant among them, guided the straying among them, and gave to the needy among them.
The Prophet never failed to offer anything that could be offered. He was the first to give and was the foremost of all people who used to do the same.
When the following Quranic verse was revealed (which means): {Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love} [Quran 3:92], the Companions hastened to their best properties, rather than the worst and the cheapest, in order to spend. They did not spend what they no longer needed and send it to the mosque as we see these days. Why? They did so simply in compliance with the Statement of Allah The Almighty (which means): {Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the Way of Allah] from that which you love.} [Quran 3:92]
Abu Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him, had the greatest wealth of date-palms among the Ansaar in Al-Madeenah, and what he loved most of all from among his wealth was (his garden), Al-Bayruhaa’, which was opposite to the Mosque (of the Prophet ). The Prophet used to enter it and drink its fresh water. When the following verse was revealed (which means): {Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the Way of Allah] from that which you love} [Quran 3:92], he got up towards the Messenger of Allah and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Verily, Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the Way of Allah] from that which you love.} [Quran 3:92] The dearest of my property to me is the Bayruhaa’, and it is (from now) an object of charity for the sake of Allah, and I expect its good reward from Allah." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]