Ibn ‘Umar reported that God’s messenger said when he was on the pulpit speaking of sadaqa and abstention from begging,
“The upper hand is better than the lower one, the upper being the one which bestows and the lower the one which begs.”
Hakim b. Hizam said he begged from God’s messenger and he gave him something, later he begged again and when he had given him something he said,
“Hakim, this property is green and sweet, and he who receives it with a liberal mind will be blessed in it, but he who receives it with an avaricious mind will not be blessed in it, being like one who eats without being satisfied. And the upper hand is better than the lower one.” *
Hakim told that he replied, “Messenger of God, by Him who sent you with the truth, I shall not accept anyone’s bounty after this till I leave the world.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
* The upper hand is that of the giver and the lower hand is that of the receiver. The sentence is equivalent to saying that it is better to give than to receive.
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said some of the Ansar begged from God’s messenger and he gave them something. They later begged from him again and he gave them something so that what he had was exhausted. He then said,
“What I have I shall never store away from you, but God will strengthen the abstinence of him who abstains, will give a competence to him who is satisfied, and will strengthen the endurance of him who shows endurance. No one has been given a better or more ample gift than endurance.”
Az-Zubair b. al-‘Awwam reported God’s messenger as saying,
“It is better for one of you to take his rope, bring a load of firewood on his back and sell it, God thereby preserving his self-respect, than that he should beg from people whether they give him anything or refuse him.”
