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Begging From Islamic Point of View

Begging has become such a profession now a days that beggars are found every where. No signal, no street and no market is free of them. Even though, begging is not much of a problem itself, beggars are. This contagion has spread so much that today kids and elderly people are also found begging.



According to some independent reports and sources, the beggars that are found today are not all the needy and poor. Most of them have taken this activity as a profession. Some beggars earn daily thousand plus money daily only from begging. According to some sources, seeing the profitability in this profession, some selfish people are now using their elderly parents and orphan relatives to beg. This is such a sad down fall of a society. No culture and civilization likes begging. In most advanced countries, poors are given allowance so that they don't spread their hand in front of others. But still, beggars emerge.

Islam does not appreciate begging. Begging is such a thing that it erases all self respect from a man. It is very difficult once to beg and to spread hand before others, but once the empty hand receives money, then it becomes habit. According to the psychologists, begging becomes more of a need then just a source of earning. Many a people were discovered who begged not because they were poor but because of their strange psychological satisfaction. Whatever the case maybe, begging is not a thing to be promoted. It is not liked in islam and it has no place in an islamic society.

Apart from the greed of money which is caused by begging, it has other curses and disadvantages. Beggars are mostly found involved in illegitimate and criminal activities. Thus, a society where such a thing prevails, overall environment of the society is compromised. The beggars are never contented and they have no self concept. So they beg. Allah swt say in Quran;

[002:273] (Charity is most appropriate) for those who are impoverished because they are (engaged and engrossed) in the cause of Allah, and are restricted (in their ability to earn). They cannot travel and move about in the world (in search of livelihood). Because of their modesty, those who are ignorant (of their circumstances), consider them well to do. You can recognize them by their features. They do not entreat and beg people for help. Allah is indeed very well Aware of anything you spend (in His cause).

Thus, those who ask Allah for help and those who seek help from people have a very clear difference in their personality traits. The people who ask Allah will never ask anyone else. They do not even show others of their circumstances. Prophet Muhammad pbuh said about those who are content at what they have;

Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 76, Number 477:

Narrated Abu Said:
Some people from the Ansar asked Allah's Apostle (to give them something) and he gave to everyone of them, who asked him, until all that he had was finished. When everything was finished and he had spent all that was in his hand, he said to them, '"(Know) that if I have any wealth, I will not withhold it from you (to keep for somebody else); And (know) that he who refrains from begging others (or doing prohibited deeds), Allah will make him contented and not in need of others; and he who remains patient, Allah will bestow patience upon him, and he who is satisfied with what he has, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And there is no gift better and vast (you may be given) than patience." 
this explains that begging is a moral challenge that a society faces. It promotes greed and further moral degradation. Today, women and men and children are not the only beggars, but one can find men in disguise of women on signals and roads. They do this to beg. This moral challenge has to be faced. And for this, every Muslim needs to contribute. Giving charity and alms is a very good solution to keep people from such things. Remember, in the times of hazrat Usman r.a., the economic conditions of the muslim society were so improved that he r.a. Used to find people who deserve charity. This was achieved with the purity of intentions. When a society is pure, the overall result will be no less than purity. 
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