Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “By the One in whose hand is my soul, 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: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1470, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1042
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَحْتَطِبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ رَجُلًا فَيَسْأَلَهُ أَعْطَاهُ أَوْ مَنَعَهُ
1470 صحيح البخاري كتاب الزكاة باب الاستعفاف عن المسألة
1042 صحيح مسلم كتاب الزكاة باب كراهة المسألة للناس
