A fatwâ has been
given that it is permissible for a person who does not have one day’s food to
ask for it. However, it is taqwâ and azîmat
not to ask at all. It is mubâh (permitted) in cases of strong necessity such as
a danger of illness or death. It is mubâh for a person who does not have
clothes to ask for clothes under these conditions. If a person is healthy
enough to work and earn his living, it is not permissible for him to beg. If a
person studies religious knowledge and does not have time to make a living, it
is permissible for him to ask from others. It is not permissible for a person
who could earn his living by writing to ask from others. It is stated in the
explanation of Mishkât,[1] “If a person is too ill to
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[1] Mishkât is a commentary of Mesâbîh. Huseyn Beghâwî, the author of Mesâbîh, passed away in 516 [A.D. 1122], and Muhammad Waliyy-ud-dîn, the author of Mishkât, passed away in 749 [A.D. 1348]. There are Arabic and Persian explanations of Mishkât.
work, it is permissible for him to earn his daily food by
begging. It is not permissible (for this person) to beg for more (than a day’s
food). If a person cannot find time to work because of supererogatory namâz and
supererogatory fasting, it is not permissible for him to ask for zakât or alms.
It is permissible for someone else to ask (for zakât and alms) on behalf of
this person.
There are three different harms in asking for help.
First, it means to imply that Allâhu
ta’âlâ sends His blessings in small
amounts, which is harâm. Second, it means to humiliate oneself; it is not
permissible for a Believer to humiliate himself before anyone except Allâhu ta’âlâ. Third, it means to annoy someone by asking from him, which is
harâm, too, unless there is strong necessity to do so. For this reason, people
of taqwâ have not asked for anything from anybody. Bishr-i-Hâfî[1] would not ask for anything from anyone except
Sirr-î-Seqatî. And he explained this exception as follows: “I know he will be
happy when he gives something to someone. I am asking in order to make him
happy.” Bishr stated, “There are three groups of poor people: The first group
will not ask (for anything) and will not accept anything offered to them. These
people are with angels in the Illiyyîn (the highest of the eight Gardens of
Paradise mentioned in Qur’ân
al-kerîm). The second group will not
ask, yet they will accept what is given to them. These people are with the
Muqarrabs in the Gardens of Paradise. The second group will ask when they need.
These people are called Sâdiq and they are with the As-hâb-i-yemîn.” In conclusion,
we say that it is harâm and very ugly to beg without any strong necessity. It
is mubâh in case of strong necessity or need. Yet it will cause one’s demotion.
It becomes wâjib in case of danger of death. If one does not ask from others
and dies as a result of this, one dies as a sinful person. Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’ sent a present to hadrat ’Umar
‘radiy-Allâhu anh’. ’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu anh’ would not accept the present and
sent it back. When they met some time later, the Messenger of Allah asked, “Why
didn’t you accept it?” Hadrat
’Umar answered, “O the Messenger of Allah! You said, ‘The
most beneficent among you is the one who would not take anything fromanyone.’ ”
Upon this Rasûlullah said, “That statement of mine was about asking and
taking. If something
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[1] Bishr-i-Hâfî and Sirrî passed away in Baghdâd, the former in 227 [A.D. 841] and the latter in 251 [865].
comes toyou without your asking for it, it is rizq (sustenance) sent by Allâhu ta’âlâ.” Hadrat ’Umar answered, “I swear by Allâhu ta’âlâ that I shall never ask for anything from anyone and I shall take anything that will come without my asking for it.” It is stated in a hadîth-i-sherîf, “If a person who is hungry or who needs something does not ask from anybody and expects hisneed from Allâhu ta’âlâ, Allâhu ta’âlâ will open gates of one year’s sustenance for him.”