Sunan Abu Dawud #1642
Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الأَخْضَرِ بْنِ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْحَنَفِيِّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْأَلُهُ فَقَالَ " أَمَا فِي بَيْتِكَ شَىْءٌ " . قَالَ بَلَى حِلْسٌ نَلْبَسُ بَعْضَهُ وَنَبْسُطُ بَعْضَهُ وَقَعْبٌ نَشْرَبُ فِيهِ مِنَ الْمَاءِ . قَالَ " ائْتِنِي بِهِمَا " . فَأَتَاهُ بِهِمَا فَأَخَذَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِيَدِهِ وَقَالَ " مَنْ يَشْتَرِي هَذَيْنِ " . قَالَ رَجُلٌ أَنَا آخُذُهُمَا بِدِرْهَمٍ . قَالَ " مَنْ يَزِيدُ عَلَى دِرْهَمٍ " . مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا قَالَ رَجُلٌ أَنَا آخُذُهُمَا بِدِرْهَمَيْنِ . فَأَعْطَاهُمَا إِيَّاهُ وَأَخَذَ الدِّرْهَمَيْنِ وَأَعْطَاهُمَا الأَنْصَارِيَّ وَقَالَ " اشْتَرِ بِأَحَدِهِمَا طَعَامًا فَانْبِذْهُ إِلَى أَهْلِكَ وَاشْتَرِ بِالآخَرِ قَدُومًا فَأْتِنِي بِهِ " . فَأَتَاهُ بِهِ فَشَدَّ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عُودًا بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ " اذْهَبْ فَاحْتَطِبْ وَبِعْ وَلاَ أَرَيَنَّكَ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا " . فَذَهَبَ الرَّجُلُ يَحْتَطِبُ وَيَبِيعُ فَجَاءَ وَقَدْ أَصَابَ عَشَرَةَ دَرَاهِمَ فَاشْتَرَى بِبَعْضِهَا ثَوْبًا وَبِبَعْضِهَا طَعَامًا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَذَا خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تَجِيءَ الْمَسْأَلَةُ نُكْتَةً فِي وَجْهِكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ الْمَسْأَلَةَ لاَ تَصْلُحُ إِلاَّ لِثَلاَثَةٍ لِذِي فَقْرٍ مُدْقِعٍ أَوْ لِذِي غُرْمٍ مُفْظِعٍ أَوْ لِذِي دَمٍ مُوجِعٍ " .
A man of the Ansar came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and begged from him.
He (the Prophet) asked: Have you nothing in your house? He replied: Yes, a piece of cloth, a part of which we wear and a part of which we spread (on the ground), and a wooden bowl from which we drink water.
He said: Bring them to me. He then brought these articles to him and he (the Prophet) took them in his hands and asked: Who will buy these? A man said: I shall buy them for one dirham. He said twice or thrice: Who will offer more than one dirham? A man said: I shall buy them for two dirhams.
He gave these to him and took the two dirhams and, giving them to the Ansari, he said: Buy food with one of them and hand it to your family, and buy an axe and bring it to me. He then brought it to him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fixed a handle on it with his own hands and said: Go, gather firewood and sell it, and do not let me see you for a fortnight. The man went away and gathered firewood and sold it. When he had earned ten dirhams, he came to him and bought a garment with some of them and food with the others.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said: This is better for you than that begging should come as a spot on your face on the Day of Judgment. Begging is right only for three people: one who is in grinding poverty, one who is seriously in debt, or one who is responsible for compensation and finds it difficult to pay.
Narrated by Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
Context
In this hadith, a man from the Ansar approached the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) seeking help due to his poverty. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked if he had anything at home, to which the man replied he had a piece of cloth and a bowl. The Prophet (ﷺ) then instructed him to sell these items, use the money to buy food for his family, and to bring him an axe so he could work. This illustrates the importance of self-sufficiency and hard work over begging.
Modern Application
In today's context, this hadith encourages individuals to seek means of earning a living rather than relying solely on charity. It emphasizes the dignity of work and the importance of providing for oneself and one's family, which can be applied in various situations, such as job hunting or starting a small business.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Charity and Good Deeds because it highlights the value of self-reliance and working for one's sustenance rather than depending on others.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ المُجَادلَةِ
Al-Mujaadila (The Pleading Woman)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّا ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًۭا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۚ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَلِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And he who does not find [a slave] - then a fast for two months consecutively before they touch one another; and he who is unable - then the feeding of sixty poor persons. That is for you to believe [completely] in Allah and His Messenger; and those are the limits [set by] Allah. And for the disbelievers is a painful punishment.
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
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لِلْفُقَرَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أُحْصِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًۭا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَحْسَبُهُمُ ٱلْجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَآءَ مِنَ ٱلتَّعَفُّفِ تَعْرِفُهُم بِسِيمَٰهُمْ لَا يَسْـَٔلُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ إِلْحَافًۭا ۗ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ
[Charity is] for the poor who have been restricted for the cause of Allah, unable to move about in the land. An ignorant [person] would think them self-sufficient because of their restraint, but you will know them by their [characteristic] sign. They do not ask people persistently [or at all]. And whatever you spend of good - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِى نَفْسَهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ مَرْضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ رَءُوفٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ
And of the people is he who sells himself, seeking means to the approval of Allah. And Allah is kind to [His] servants.
سُورَةُ الرُّومِ
Ar-Room (The Romans)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
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فَـَٔاتِ ذَا ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلْمِسْكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
So give the relative his right, as well as the needy and the traveler. That is best for those who desire the countenance of Allah, and it is they who will be the successful.
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَلَا تُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلسُّفَهَآءَ أَمْوَٰلَكُمُ ٱلَّتِى جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ قِيَٰمًۭا وَٱرْزُقُوهُمْ فِيهَا وَٱكْسُوهُمْ وَقُولُوا۟ لَهُمْ قَوْلًۭا مَّعْرُوفًۭا
And do not give the weak-minded your property, which Allah has made a means of sustenance for you, but provide for them with it and clothe them and speak to them words of appropriate kindness.
Common Words
99 total84 unique9 repeated
ٱلله6x
من4x
فمن2x
لم2x
ذلك2x
فى2x
لا2x
ٱلناس2x
خير2x
يجد1x
فصيام1x
شهرين1x
متتابعين1x
قبل1x
أن1x
يتماسا1x
يستطع1x
فإطعام1x
ستين1x
مسكينا1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #1642 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat). It is graded Hasan Sahih and narrated by Narrated Anas ibn Malik:.