Begging or Asking others for help may sound different, but when reviewed in Islamic
context, they are more or less similar.
A Muslim is commanded to work hard to earn his livelihood;
Islam disapproves ‘begging’. Begging eliminates a
person’s honour and self-esteem, and his face gets deprived of charm, delight
and gleam due to the curse of disgrace and humiliation. It also leads to
exploitation of feelings of benevolent people by the ones who are habitual of
asking others for help instead of working hard to meet their needs. It truly is
a curse for society.
Our religion commands and encourages working and views it as
a high virtue; it forbids and disapproves laziness and begging.
It is the duty of a Muslim to give food to the poor and to
offer the one who asks for something. However, begging, which impairs human
honor and virtue, shatters personality and leads to the exploitation of
benevolent people’s pure feelings, is regarded as an ugly act.
The Religion of Islam puts great emphasis on making effort
and earning one`s own living rather than going out ask others for it for no
reason. It also devises a well balanced Muslim society for all where everyone
gets its due share. Those who are rich
are directed to help out others in need
through an obligatory action of Zakah (Charity). Allah SWT says in the Holy
Quran:
“And from their properties was [given] the right of the [needy]
petitioner and the deprived.”
The above mentioned Ayah Kareema tells us about
the great standing of believers who have enough wealth in the worldly life and
those who take care of the disadvantaged people through it.
Few hadith which shall explain to us how the Prophet (PBUH)
talked about ‘begging’ or ‘asking others for help’:
a) Narrated Az-Zubair bin Al-Awwam (RA): The Prophet (PBUH)
said,
“It is better for anyone of you to take a rope and bring a bundle of wood
over his back and sell it, and Allah will save his face because of that, rather
than to ask the people who may or may not give.”
(Hadith No. 1471, Book of Zakat, Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2).
Attention should be paid to the sentence ‘..and Allah will
save his face because of that…’. It shows that begging impairs human honour and
shatters his/her personality.
b) Narrated Abdullah bin Umar (RA): The Prophet (PBUH) said,
“A man keeps on asking others for something till he comes on the ‘Day of
Resurrection’ having no flesh on his face.”
(Hadith No. 1474, Book of Zakat, Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2).
Correct Way of Treating Beggars
Islam has strictly forbidden from asking others for money or
any other riches rather one has to earn its income by its own effort. According
to a Prophetic (PBUH) Saying narrated by Abu Hurraira (R.A):
“It is better for one among you to bring a load of firewood
on his back and give charity out of it (and satisfy his own need) and be
independent of people, than that he should beg from people, whether they give
him anything or refuse him. Verily the upper hand is better than the lower
hand, and begin (charity) with your dependants.” (Muslim)
Therefore, anyone who has enough capacity that
it can take care of its own issues should never ask others for affluence rather
it should go out, become self-determining and make a living on its own so that
it might even be able to aid others. In the end, Rasulullah ﷺ has regarded the charitable person being superior to the one that is being contributed. It
means one should continue the good work of making donations to the poor for the
sake of pleasing the Almighty Lord. Allah SWT says in the Holy Quran:
“So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him]. And as for the
petitioner, do not repel [him].” [Quran, 93: 9-10]
It shows that a believer is not allowed to keep away someone
just because that person is asking for a favor. This is because one does not
actually know about the actual reason of the beggar behind its request. Thus,
one should treat them in a pleasant manner, give them charity and avoid from
offending them.
Permissibility Of Begging Under Special Conditions
Asking for material goods from the rich is not allowable if
this act is being done just for the sake of accumulating wealth for personal
gains. This kind of deed is strictly prohibited by the Holy Prophet ﷺ
for it is only a source of collecting money for quenching one`s thirst of
greed.
“He who begs the riches of others to increase his own is
asking only for live coals, so let him ask a little or much.” (Muslim)
The above mentioned Hadith eloquently explains about the
serious consequences of asking for one`s self-indulgence in materialistic
increase. But not every person is asking for something deliberately without
having much reason behind doing so. The Messenger ﷺ of God has prescribed
the act of requesting others` help under three particular circumstances which
are described in the following Hadith:
One who has undertaken a hamalah (pledged money for
reconciliation between two persons), for him begging is permissible till he
pays that off, after which he must stop it; A man whose property has been
destroyed by a calamity which has smitten him, for him begging is permissible
till he gets what will support life; And a person who has been smitten by
poverty the genuineness of which is confirmed by three intelligent members of
his people. For him begging is permissible till he gets what will support him.
(Muslim)
Thus, there are three conditions under which the act of
asking others is permissible beyond which it is forbidden: having promised a
portion of money for the sake of settlement between two parties till it has
been paid off; a miserable state of a person because it has lost all its
capital and assets due to a natural disaster till it can sustain its life; and
a person who`s dearth of wealth has been confirmed by three trust worthy
individuals till that someone is able to make its situation better. It shows
that Islam is not a rigid religion on the matter of asking others rather it
gives enough room for it when there is no other way of survival.
In short, begging is not a desirable action according to the
Religion of Peace, but only allowed in severe form of need. The rich also have
the responsibility to search for such deprived people to help them through
charity in order to relieve them from their misery.
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