Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:9868Ḥajjāj > Layth > ʿUqayl > Ibn Shihāb > Abū ʿUbayd a freed slave of ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. ʿAwf > Abū Hurayrah

It is better for any one of you to tie a bundle of firewood and carry it on his back and sell it than to beg a person, he may give or may refuse. (Using translation from Muslim 1042c)  

أحمد:٩٨٦٨حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَأَنْ يَحْتَزِمَ أَحَدُكُمْ حُزْمَةَ حَطَبٍ فَيَحْمِلَهَا عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ رَجُلًا يُعْطِيهِ أَوْ يَمْنَعُهُ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Suyūṭī
bukhari:2374Yaḥyá b. Bukayr > al-Layth > ʿUqayl > Ibn Shihāb > Abū ʿUbayd a freed slave of ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. ʿAwf > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "No doubt, you had better gather a bundle of wood and carry it on your back (and earn your living thereby) rather than ask somebody who may give you or not."  

البخاري:٢٣٧٤حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لأَنْ يَحْتَطِبَ أَحَدُكُمْ حُزْمَةً عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ أَحَدًا فَيُعْطِيَهُ أَوْ يَمْنَعَهُ  

bukhari:1470ʿAbdullāh b. Yūsuf > Mālik > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, it is better for anyone of you to take a rope and cut the wood (from the forest) and carry it over his back and sell it (as a means of earning his living) rather than to ask a person for something and that person may give him or not."  

البخاري:١٤٧٠حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَحْتَطِبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ رَجُلاً فَيَسْأَلَهُ أَعْطَاهُ أَوْ مَنَعَهُ  

bukhari:1471Mūsá > Wuhayb > Hishām from his father > al-Zubayr b. al-ʿAwwām

The Prophet ﷺ said, "It is better for anyone of you to take a rope (and cut) and bring a bundle of wood (from the forest) over his back and sell it and Allah will save his face (from the Hell-Fire) because of that, rather than to ask the people who may give him or not."  

البخاري:١٤٧١حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ ؓ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَأْتِيَ بِحُزْمَةِ الْحَطَبِ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا فَيَكُفَّ اللَّهُ بِهَا وَجْهَهُ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ أَعْطَوْهُ أَوْ مَنَعُوهُ  

bukhari:2074Yaḥyá b. Bukayr > al-Layth > ʿUqayl > Ibn Shihāb > Abū ʿUbayd a freed slave of ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. ʿAwf > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "No doubt, it is better for any one of you to cut a bundle of wood and carry it over his back rather than to ask someone who may or may not give him."  

البخاري:٢٠٧٤حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لأَنْ يَحْتَطِبَ أَحَدُكُمْ حُزْمَةً عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ أَحَدًا فَيُعْطِيَهُ أَوْ يَمْنَعَهُ  

muslim:1042cAbū al-Ṭāhir And Yūnus b. ʿAbd al-Aʿlá > Ibn Wahb > ʿAmr b. al-Ḥārith > Ibn Shihāb > Abū ʿUbayd a freed slave of ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. ʿAwf > Abū Hurayrah

It is better for any one of you to tie a bundle of firewood and carry it on his back and sell it than to beg a person, he may give or may refuse.  

مسلم:١٠٤٢cحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ وَيُونُسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لأَنْ يَحْتَزِمَ أَحَدُكُمْ حُزْمَةً مِنْ حَطَبٍ فَيَحْمِلَهَا عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ رَجُلاً يُعْطِيهِ أَوْ يَمْنَعُهُ  

nasai:2584Abū Dāwud > Yaʿqūb b. Ibrāhīm from my father > Ṣāliḥ > Ibn Shihāb > Abū ʿUbayd a freed slave of ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Azhar > Abū Hurayrah

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'if one of you were to carry a bundle of firewood on his back and sell it, that would be better than asking a man who may or may not give him something."'  

النسائي:٢٥٨٤أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنْ صَالِحٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ أَنَّ أَبَا عُبَيْدٍ مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَزْهَرَ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لأَنْ يَحْتَزِمَ أَحَدُكُمْ حُزْمَةَ حَطَبٍ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ رَجُلاً فَيُعْطِيَهُ أَوْ يَمْنَعَهُ  

ibnmajah:1836ʿAlī b. Muḥammad And ʿAmrū b. ʿAbdullāh al-Awdī > Wakīʿ > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father from his grandfather

his grandfather said: “The Messenger of Allah said: 'If one of you were to take his rope (or ropes) and go to the mountains, and bring a bundle of firewood on his back to sell, and thus become independent of means, that would be better for him than begging from people who may either give him something or not give him anything.'”  

ابن ماجة:١٨٣٦حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَمْرُو بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَوْدِيُّ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَحْبُلَهُ فَيَأْتِيَ الْجَبَلَ فَيَجِيءَ بِحُزْمَةِ حَطَبٍ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا فَيَسْتَغْنِيَ بِثَمَنِهَا خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ أَعْطَوْهُ أَوْ مَنَعُوهُ  

ahmad:1429Wakīʿ And Ibn Numayr > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father from his grandfather > Ibn Numayr > al-Zubayr

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “For one of you to take a rope and go to the mountains, then bring a bundle of firewood on his back and sell it, and make himself independent of means thereby, is better for him than to ask of people, whether they give him something or not.”  

أحمد:١٤٢٩حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ وَابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ قَالا حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لأنْيَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَحْبُلَهُ فَيَأْتِيَ الْجَبَلَ فَيَجِيءَ بِحُزْمَةٍ مِنْ حَطَبٍ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا فَيَسْتَغْنِيَ بِثَمَنِهَا خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ أَعْطَوْهُ أَوْ مَنَعُوهُ  

nasai-kubra:2376Abū Dāwud > Yaʿqūb b. Ibrāhīm from my father > Ṣāliḥ b. Kaysān > Ibn Shihāb > Abū ʿUbayd a freed slave of ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Azhar > Abū Hurayrah

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'if one of you were to carry a bundle of firewood on his back and sell it, that would be better than asking a man who may or may not give him something."' (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2584)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٢٣٧٦أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ أَنَّ أَبَا عُبَيْدٍ مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَزْهَرَ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «لَأَنْ يَحْتَزِمَ أَحَدُكُمْ بِحُزْمَةِ حَطَبٍ فَيَحْمِلَهَا عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ رَجُلًا فَيُعْطِيَهُ أَوْ يَمْنَعَهُ»  

suyuti:24136a
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السيوطي:٢٤١٣٦a

"وَالَّذِي نَفْسي بِيَدِهِ لأنْ يَأخُذَ أَحدُكم حَبْلَهُ فَيَحْتَطِب على ظهرهِ خيرٌ له من أن يأتى رجلًا فَيَسألَه أعطاه أو مَنَعه".  

مالك، [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم عن أبي هريرة
suyuti:17080a
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السيوطي:١٧٠٨٠a

"لأَنْ يَأخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَأتِى الجَبَلَ فَيَجِئَ بِحُزْمَةِ الْحَطَبِ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا فيَكُفَّ اللهُ بِهَا وَجْهَه خَيرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أنْ يَسْألَ النَّاسَ أعْطَوْهُ أَوْ مَنَعُوه".  

[حم] أحمد [خ] البخاري [هـ] ابن ماجة عن الزبير بن العوام