Hadith: 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

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».
[صحيح] - [رواه البخاري] - [صحيح البخاري: 1471]

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."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Bukhari] - [Sahih Bukhari - 1471]

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explained that a person should do any kind of work—even if it means taking a rope, collecting firewood, carrying it on his back, and selling it—so that he can eat from it, give in charity from it, and remain independent of others, protecting his dignity from the humiliation of begging. This is better for him than asking people—whether they give to him or not—because begging brings disgrace, while the believer is honorable and not humiliated.

Benefits from the Hadith

1. An exhortation to avoid begging and to uphold one's dignity by refraining from it.
2. Encouragement to work to earn a living, even if the job is simple or viewed as lowly in the eyes of people.
3. Islam combats begging and idleness; therefore, it makes striving and working obligatory, even if the work is difficult, such as gathering firewood.
4. Begging is not permissible for one who is able to work and earn a living.
5. 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]
6. 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]
7. 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.