Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ عُقْبَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَمُرَةَ بْنَ جُنْدُبٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ الْمَسَائِلُ كُدُوحٌ يَكْدَحُ بِهَا الرَّجُلُ وَجْهَهُ فَمَنْ شَاءَ أَبْقَى عَلَى وَجْهِهِ وَمَنْ شَاءَ تَرَكَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَسْأَلَ الرَّجُلُ ذَا سُلْطَانٍ أَوْ يَسْأَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ لَا يَجِدُ مِنْهُ بُدًّا قَالَ فَحَدَّثْتُ بِهِ الْحَجَّاجَ فَقَالَ سَلْنِي فَإِنِّي ذُو سُلْطَانٍ.
English Translation
Affan told us: Shu'bah informed us: Abd al-Malik ibn Umayr informed me, he said: I heard Zayd ibn Uqbah say: I heard Samurah ibn Jundub say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Begging is like scratches with which a man wounds his own face; so whoever wishes may preserve his face [honor], and whoever wishes may abandon it - except when a man asks someone in authority, or asks concerning a matter he has no way to avoid." He said: So I related this to al-Hajjaj, and he said: "Ask me, for I am one in authority."