Best Food

 ما اكل احد طعاما قط خيرا من ان ياكل من عمل يديه وان نبى الله داؤد عليه السلام كان ياكل من عمل يديه

(البخارى)

"Nobody ever ate any food better than what he earned by the effort of his hands." Certainly the Nabi of Allah Ta'ala, (Hazrat) Daawud (Alaihis Salaam) used to eat food from what he earned from the efforts of his hands." (Bukhari)

Explanation:

Working and earning a living is more honourable than being a burden on someone for one’s living. As long as a person has the courage and the ability to work, he must work to fulfil his needs and the needs of those who are under his responsibility. It is not befitting of a person who is fit and capable of working, to sit back without working and survive on donations, nor is it right of him to beg for his necessities. It is much better and more honourable for a person to consume that which he earned by the sweat of his brow.

In a Hadith, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

لان ياخذ احدكم حبله فياتى بحزمة حطب على ظهره فيبيعها فيكف الله بها وجهه خير له من ان يسأل الناس اعطوه اومنعوه

 (البخارى) 

Translation: "That one of you take a rope and he ties a bundle of wood on his back and he sells it, whereby Allah protects his honour through this work is better than for him to beg from people whether they give him or refuse him." (Bukhari)

That is, one should work instead of depending on others. And there is no dishonour in working even if it is a job like selling wood or collecting garbage provided that it is a Halaal work and it is permissible in the Shariah. Those professions that people normally consider unworthy are more honourable and acceptable to Allah Ta'ala than begging. Dishonour lies in begging. Thus, a person should not wait for a great job offer with a high salary to start earning.

Nevertheless, if a person is really incapable and has nothing, then he may beg, but here also, he must choose a truly Deendaar person to ask for his needs. In a Hadith of Abu Daawud, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

وان كنت سائلا لابد فسل الصالحين

"And if you really have to ask, then ask the Saaliheen (pious people)."

Thus, begging was never meritorious. However if there is no alternative, then as a last resort one may opt to beg. But then too, one must not ask for more than what is necessary. This should be taken as a temporary solution and not as a means to enrich oneself. This will be very serious in the Aakhirah. Such a person will have scratch marks on his face on the day of Qiyaamah just as there will be some who will not even have flesh on their faces. In a Hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

ما يزال الرجل يسأل الناس حتى ياتى يوم القيمة ليس فى وجهه مزعة لحم ...

 (البخارى)

Translation: "A person keeps begging people until he will be presented on the day of Qiyaamah in a state where there will not even be a piece of flesh on his face." (Bukhari)

This applies to the one who asks without necessity or the one who asks for more than his needs due to greed.

[English version of "Meilleur nourriture" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.5]