Principle 81 — Don't Ask Anyone

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Don’t Ask Anyone

It is recorded in a tradition of the Prophet of Islam that one should not ask anything from anyone because the upper hand is better than the lower hand. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1429) This teaching pertains to a higher humanity. It is the essence of higher humanity that man should be self-reliant and not ask for anything from others.

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Asking for things is not a simple matter; it is a sign of moral decay. The man who asks of others is as if he wants to live on easy sustenance. Such a man will have to pay the price for his habit of asking others for fulfilling his needs. And that is why he will not be able to develop his potential. His hidden powers will remain suppressed in him, and the spirit of hard work will cool down in him. He will suffer from a weakness called ease. The right way to live is to trust oneself and be accustomed to hard work. One should try to stand on his own feet. One should be the giver, not a receiver.

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