حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ قَالَ كَتَبَ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مَرْوَانَ إِلَى ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنْ ارْفَعْ إِلَيَّ حَاجَتَكَ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ ابْنُ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْيَدَ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ وَلَسْتُ أَسْأَلُكَ شَيْئًا وَلَا أَرُدُّ رِزْقًا رَزَقَنِيهِ اللَّهُ مِنْكَ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 4474
It was narrated that al-Qa’qaa ibn Hakeem said: 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Marwaan wrote to Ibn 'Umar saying; Tell me if you need any help. Ibn 'Umar wrote to him saying; The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to say: "The upper hand (the one that gives) is better than the lower hand (the one that takes); start with those for whom you axe responsible." I shall not ask you for anything and I shall not reject any bounty Allah sends to me through you.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020