It is better for one of you to take his rope, go out and gather a bundle of firewood on hi…

Islam > Hadiths > Jurisprudence and juristic principles > Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles

Hadith narrated by Narrated by Al-Bukhāri

Authenticity grade : Authentic

Hadith text: It is better for one of you to take his rope, go out an…

عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ العَوَّامِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ، فَيَأْتِيَ بِحُزْمَةِ الحَطَبِ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ، فَيَبِيعَهَا، فَيَكُفَّ اللَّهُ بِهَا وَجْهَهُ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ أَعْطَوْهُ أَوْ مَنَعُوهُ».

Az-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is better for one of you to take his rope, go out and gather a bundle of firewood on his back, sell it, and thereby Allah preserves his dignity, than to ask people-whether they give him or withhold from him."

Explanation of the hadith: It is better for one of you to take his rope, go out an…

Lessons: It is better for one of you to take his rope, go out an…

• An exhortation to avoid begging and to uphold one's dignity by refraining from it.
• Encouragement to work to earn a living, even if the job is simple or viewed as lowly in the eyes of people.
• Islam combats begging and idleness; therefore, it makes striving and working obligatory, even if the work is difficult, such as gathering firewood.
• Begging is not permissible for one who is able to work and earn a living.
• Asking the ruler is permissible in cases of genuine need, as Allah Almighty says: {Nor is there any blame on those who came to you asking you for mounts to take them along, and you said, “I can find no mounts for you;” they turned away with their eyes overflowing with tears out of grief that they had nothing to spend.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 92]
• Whoever is compelled by necessity to ask and is unable to earn through work or even gather firewood is permitted to ask-but without insistence or persistence, as Allah Almighty says: {They do not ask people importunately.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 273]
• An-Nawawi said: It contains encouragement to give in charity, to eat from what one earns with his own hands, and to seek a livelihood through lawful means.

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