Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
From this, selling firewood is also established.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From these ahadith, it is understood that it is very important for a person to safeguard his self-respect. In whatever way possible, he should earn with his own hands. This is far better than going around asking others. For such people, Allah Ta’ala opens the path of sustenance.

(2)
In these ahadith, the ruling of selling wood has been mentioned. In the ahadith regarding drinking and giving water to drink, wood has been mentioned because in benefiting from water, grass, and wood, all people are partners, and these things do not belong to anyone. Whoever takes possession of them first becomes their owner, and for him, they are permissible and lawful. Although wood is mentioned in the narrations, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has also included grass in this. Bringing grass from the forest and selling it in the market is also a praiseworthy act in the sight of Allah; through this, a person remains safe from the curse of begging.

(3)
It should be remembered that if these things are someone’s property, then it is not permissible to use them without the owner’s permission.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In the first hadith narrated from Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu), the definition of a needy person (miskin) is given. From this definition, the concept of sufficiency (ghina) can be derived. According to us, there are three types of sufficiency:

➊ A person is considered wealthy (ghani) if he possesses the minimum amount (nisab) and it is obligatory for him to pay zakat. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) instructed Mu'adh (radi Allahu anhu) that zakat should be collected from the wealthy people of Yemen and distributed among their poor.

➋ A person who does not possess the nisab but has enough wealth that it is forbidden (haram) for him to receive zakat.

➌ A person who has enough wealth that it is forbidden (haram) for him to ask from people. For this, it is necessary that he has food for a day and night and enough clothing to cover his private parts (satr).

(2)
From the second hadith of Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu), it is established that earning a lawful livelihood through effort and labor is permissible.

If a person has such means that he can use them to make a living, he can also be called wealthy (ghani), and for such a person, it is also forbidden (haram) to ask from people. Thus, it is mentioned in the hadith that zakat is not permissible for a wealthy, healthy, and able-bodied person. In another narration, it is stated that there is no share in zakat for a wealthy, healthy, and earning person.
(Musnad Ahmad: 164/2)

(3)
It should be noted that there are five categories of wealthy people for whom charity (sadaqah) is permissible.

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said that charity is not lawful for a wealthy person except in five cases:

➊ In the case of collecting zakat funds.

➋ A person who buys something from charity with his own wealth.

➌ A wealthy person who becomes indebted.

➍ One who fights in the way of Allah (fi sabilillah).

➎ If something given in charity to a needy person is then gifted by him to a wealthy person.
(Musnad Ahmad: 56/3)

Hadith Commentary:
From this hadith, it is derived that earning one’s food through manual labor is extremely virtuous.
The scholars have stated that there are three principles of earning:
➊ One is agriculture,
➋ the second is trade,
➌ and the third is industry and craftsmanship.
Some have said that among these three, trade is superior.
Others have said that agriculture is superior,
because it involves manual labor.
And it is mentioned in the hadith that there is no food better than that which is produced by one’s own hand through labor. After agriculture, then industry is superior,
as it also involves working with one’s hands.
And employment (servitude) is the worst form of earning.
From these ahadith, it is also evident how much love the Noble Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) expressed for the Muslim who earns through hard work, to the extent that he swore by Allah the Exalted regarding its excellence.
Thus, those people who simply sit idle and remain dependent on others,
and then begin to complain about fate—
such people are not good in the sight of Allah nor in the sight of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has, in a most eloquent manner, condemned asking from others—that is, the sense of shame one may feel in gathering firewood is far better than the humiliation and disgrace that results from begging for worldly goods and possessions.

(2)
According to this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) expressed such affection for the one who earns through his own effort that Allah Almighty has sworn an oath upon his virtue. On this basis, those who simply remain idle and become dependent on others are extremely disliked in the sight of Allah.

Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
The conduct befitting a Muslim is that he should work and labor himself, earn through his own efforts so that he becomes capable of giving to others, or at the very least, fulfills his own needs and saves himself from the humiliation and disgrace of begging.

1:
The path of resolve (azimah) is that a person should not ask anyone for anything even in a state of need and necessity, although asking in times of need and necessity is permissible.

2:
By "the upper hand" is meant the giving hand, and by "the lower hand" is meant the receiving hand.

Urdu marginal note:
"His bounty": In the Qur'an and Hadith, generally "bounty" (fazl) refers to worldly provision, and "mercy" (rahmah) refers to reward in the Hereafter. From a human being, only worldly things can be requested.

Working hard and striving to preserve one’s self-respect is far better than the humiliation of begging.

Hadith Authentication:
[وأخرجه البخاري 1470، من حديث مالك به * وفي رواية يحييٰ بن يحييٰ : ”لَأَنْ يَأْخُذَ“]

Jurisprudential Points:
➊ The best provision is that which a person earns with his own hands and through his own effort.
➋ It is not permissible to ask from people without a legitimate (shar‘i) excuse.

Benefit:
This hadith proves that in the case of a revocable divorce (talaq raj'i), the husband is responsible for maintenance (nafaqah) and accommodation (sukna). Upon issuing an irrevocable divorce (talaq bain), this responsibility is lifted from the husband. Upon divorce, one should not create chaos, as is common in our region of the subcontinent, where disputes continue for years and the era of ignorance (jahiliyyah) comes to mind. Rather, the entire matter should be conducted quietly and in a peaceful manner.

Benefit:
This hadith encourages earning lawful (halal) sustenance through hard work and labor. A person should always avoid unlawful begging; whenever one asks, one should ask only from Allah Ta'ala. No one can give anything to anyone; there is only one Being who can grant everything to everyone, and that is Allah Ta'ala. Furthermore, this hadith contains a lesson for seekers of the sciences of Prophethood: they should emulate the character of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu and remain closely attached to their teachers, memorizing whatever they hear from them. Whoever clings to their teachers, Allah Ta'ala makes them a rare gem.

Why are groups of hadith scholars (muhaddithin) not emerging from religious seminaries (madaris) in the present era? Is it possible in this age for great muhaddithin to be produced from these very seminaries? What was the mindset and which methodology was it that deprived the muhaddithin of sleep? For answers to thousands of such questions, study the valuable book of the undersigned, "Nasihaten Mere Aslaaf Ki."