Is the one devoted to knowledge considered to have the lower hand, and how does one respond to those who abuse him?

A student of knowledge is not considered to have a lower hand if he refrains from taking [charity] or takes without asking. However, he becomes one with a lower hand if he asks people. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar summarized the types of hands, placing the giving hand at the top, followed by the hand that refrains from taking, then the hand that takes without asking, and at the bottom are the asking hand and the withholding hand. The fact that the upper hand is better does not mean that its owner is absolutely better, for the true measure with Allah is piety. It is disliked for a married student of knowledge to cease his work for the sake of seeking knowledge if his family depends on him. The priority is to combine seeking knowledge with earning a living. If he is single, Allah will compensate him and provide for him from where he does not expect.