The Zakat Section · 28 – Living Without Begging or Humiliating Oneself
Abū Saʻīd al-Hudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Several people from the Ansar requested something from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) gave them what they asked for, and they requested again, and he gave them again. When the thing they wanted ran out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him), he said: “I have nothing available to give you that I would conceal from you. Whoever does not covet what is in the hand of others, Allah will make him chaste. And whoever is content with what has been given to him, Allah will enrich him. And whoever exerts himself in patience, Allah will grant him patience. Indeed, Allah did not bestow upon anyone a greater generosity than that of patience.”
It is narrated from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “If adversity strikes a person, and he presents his condition to people when it is obligatory for him to present it to Allah, then the door of his adversity will not be closed. But if one presents his poverty to Allah, then Allah will either swiftly enrich him or swiftly relieve him.”
It is related from Ibn Firās that he said:
Firās asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, "O Messenger of Allah! Should I request my needs from others?" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, replied, “No. But if you are compelled to ask, then ask from those who are righteous.”
Ibn Sa’idi (may Allah be pleased with him) related:
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed me to collect the zakat. After I collected it and delivered it to him, he ordered me to accept something as compensation for my service. I said that I performed this service seeking the pleasure of Allah and that my reward would be from Him. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Take what is given to you, for I was also appointed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) to collect zakat in his lifetime. He would give me something as compensation for my service, but I responded as you did.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) then said: “If something is given to you without you asking for it, accept it and consume it and donate from it.”
From 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, it is related that:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was on the pulpit speaking about charity, about not coveting charity, and about the evil of asking (begging). He said: “The giving hand is better than the taking hand. The giving hand is the hand of the one who gives in charity. And the taking hand is the hand of the beggar.”
Abu Dawud says: There is disagreement regarding the narration of this hadith from Nafi' through Ayyub. 'Abd al-Waris said, "The high hand is the hand that refrains from asking." Most of the narrators relate from Hammad ibn Zayd, who relates from Ayyub, that “the high hand” is the giving hand. According to a narration from Wahid from Hammad, the meaning of the hand which is high is the chaste hand. [490]
EXPLANATION:
This noble hadith, "The hand which is high is better than the hand which is low," has passed into our language as “the giving hand is better than the taking hand.” I have taken its form as it has entered our language in the translation.
Abū Aḥwaś (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from his father, Mālik ibn Nadla:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “Hands are of three kinds: The most exalted hand is the Hand of Allah. Then comes the hand that gives to the poor, which is like the Hand of Allah. And the hand of the supplicant is the lowest hand. Give generously, and do not let your soul hinder you.”