In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Al-Nawawi records in his book, Riyad us-Saliheen:
Allah said:
فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
When the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.
Surah Al-Jumu’ah 62:10
Az-Zubair ibn Awwam reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَأَنْ يَحْمِلَ الرَّجُلُ حَبْلًا فَيَحْتَطِبَ بِهِ ثُمَّ يَجِيءَ فَيَضَعَهُ فِي السُّوقِ فَيَبِيعَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْنِيَ بِهِ فَيُنْفِقَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ أَعْطَوْهُ أَوْ مَنَعُوهُ
Verily, for a man to carry a rope and gather firewood, then come to sell it in the market and make himself independent thereby such that he can spend on his needs, that is better for him than asking people who might give him or deprive him.
Source: Musnad Ahmad 1410, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَأَنْ يَحْتَزِمَ أَحَدُكُمْ حُزْمَةً مِنْ حَطَبٍ فَيَحْمِلَهَا عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ رَجُلًا يُعْطِيهِ أَوْ يَمْنَعُهُ
If one of you were to carry a bundle of firewood on his back and sell it, that would be better for him than begging a man who may or may not give him anything.
Source: Sahih Muslim 1042, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
وَلَا يَأْكُلُ إِلَّا مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ
David would never eat except from the earnings of his own hand’s work.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 3235, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
كَانَ زَكَرِيَّا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام نَجَّارًا
Zechariah, upon him be peace, worked as a carpenter.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2379, Grade: Sahih
Anas ibn Malik reported: A man from the helpers came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and begged from him. The Prophet asked:
أَمَا فِي بَيْتِكَ شَيْءٌ
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.” The Prophet said:
ائْتِنِي بِهِمَا
Bring them to me.
He then brought these articles to him and he took them in his hands and asked:
مَنْ يَشْتَرِي هَذَيْنِ
Who will buy these?
A man said, “I will buy them for one coin.” He said twice or thrice:
مَنْ يَزِيدُ عَلَى دِرْهَمٍ
Who will offer more than one coin?
A man said, “I will buy them for two coins.” He gave these to him and took the two coins and, giving them to the helper, the Prophet said:
اشْتَرِ بِأَحَدِهِمَا طَعَامًا فَانْبِذْهُ إِلَى أَهْلِكَ وَاشْتَرِ بِالْآخَرِ قَدُومًا فَأْتِنِي بِهِ
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 Prophet fixed a handle on it with his own hands and said:
اذْهَبْ فَاحْتَطِبْ وَبِعْ وَلَا أَرَيَنَّكَ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا
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 coins, he came to him and bought a garment with some of them and food with the others. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then said:
هَذَا خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تَجِيءَ الْمَسْأَلَةُ نُكْتَةً فِي وَجْهِكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ الْمَسْأَلَةَ لَا تَصْلُحُ إِلَّا لِثَلَاثَةٍ لِذِي فَقْرٍ مُدْقِعٍ أَوْ لِذِي غُرْمٍ مُفْظِعٍ أَوْ لِذِي دَمٍ مُوجِعٍ
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: for one who is in grinding poverty, or for one who is in severe debt, or for a painful compensation for killing.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 1641, Grade: Hasan
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.