Hadith #178
Arabic Text
حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَاللَّهِ لَأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلًا فَيَحْتَطِبَ فَيَحْمِلَهُ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَأْكُلَ أَوْ يَتَصَدَّقَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ رَجُلًا أَغْنَاهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَيَسْأَلَهُ أَعْطَاهُ أَوْ مَنَعَهُ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ الْيَدَ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى
English Translation
It was narrated from Abu Hurayra (رضي الله عنه) — via Sufyan, from Abu al-Zinad, from al-A'raj — that the Prophet ﷺ said: 'By Allah, that one of you should take a rope and collect firewood, carry it on his back, and eat from it or give charity — is better for him than going to a man whom Allah has enriched from His bounty and asking him — whether he gives or refuses. That is because the upper hand [giving hand] is better than the lower hand [receiving hand].'
Topics
Quran References
Reference: Musnad Ahmad, Book 17, Hadith 178
Sunnah.com ref: Musnad Ahmad 7016
Islam.wiki ID: IWH-43406