asking is not lawful except for one of three people: a man who assumes such a financial obligation; he may ask until he obtains the amount required, and then he must refrain. A man whose wealth is destroyed by a calamity; he may ask until he obtains enough to meet his basic needs. And a man afflicted by poverty, once three discerning men among his people attest, “So-and-so has indeed been afflicted by poverty!” He may ask until he obtains enough to meet his basic needs.... Any begging beyond these three cases, O Qabīsa, is unlawful gain, which its recipient consumes unlawfully.’ Narrated by Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, and al-Nasā’ī.) p. 123

Authentic. It was transmitted by Muslim (3/97), Abū Dāwūd (1640), al-Nasā’ī (1/360, 363), al-Dārimī (1/396), and Ahmad (3/477).

156—(The Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “It is better for one of you to carry his rope on his back, bring a bundle of firewood and sell it—thereby Allah preserving his dignity—than to beg from people, whether they give him something or refuse him.” Agreed upon.) p. 124

Authentic. It was transmitted by al-Bukhārī (1/374; 2/10, 80), as well as Ibn Mājah (1836) and Ahmad (1/164, 167), from al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwām, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him—and he quoted the hadith. Muslim transmitted it (3/96–97) from Abū Hurayra with similar wording. Al-Bukhārī also transmitted it from him (1/373, 306; 2/10, 80), as did Mālik in al-Muwatta (2/998/10); through Mālik, al-Nasā’ī (1/362–363) also transmitted it, as did Ahmad (2/257, 300, 395, 418, 496), through several routes from Abū Hurayra with similar wording. In some of Ahmad’s routes, Abū Hurayra explicitly stated that he heard it from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

157—(The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whenever a Muslim plants a tree or sows a crop, and a bird or a human being eats from it, it is counted as charity for him.” Agreed