15 Kind Ways How to Treat Beggars in Islam

Islam has a clear view in begging to earn money. Begging never considered right and good in Islam. The Prophet (SAW) has clearly stated about this.

“A person begs and begs.. eventually, he appears on the Day of Judgment with no flesh on his face.” He also said, “A person who begs money when he does not need, collects fire.” – Ibn Hajar

Living off of others is indeed nothing good to do, as Islam always teach us to work hard and live our life to the full. While the Quran praises the poor for their modesty and thus, they are free from want, others take advantage to make themselves rich through the easiest way possible.

But we see beggars everyday and everywhere, some of them are children, some of them are young people, some of them are mothers, and some of them are elders. Upon giving them charity, we don’t really know how to treat beggars in Islam.

1. Give Them Money in the Right Amount

There are three permissible condition in Islam for Muslim to be allowed begging: a very poor man that he is homeless, a man who lost all of his fortune due to financial calamity, and a man who is in a big debt that he is unable to feed his family. As beggars live out of the pity and kindness from others, he should not take advantage and make himself rich from begging.

We must give them the right amount, not too little but also nothing too big. Islam allowed Muslim to beg only to provide his family and nothing more.

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2. Never Reject a Man Who Begs

Whenever a beggar asks to us, it’s our duty to give and not to reject. Quran actually listed beggars among relatives, needy, orphans, and wayfarer so that we should treat them the same way. A Muslim who spend his fortune for the needy will be granted Paradise in the afterlife.

We must follow the example from our Prophet (SAW) who always gave to anyone who beg to him, even in the rudest way. The Prophet (SAW) said,

“They made me choose between giving them some goods and being stingy, by using those rude words. I am not stingy.” – Muslim

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3. We Don’t Have to Give the Beggars on the Street

We often see beggars sit on the roads and begging the passing by. Muslim has no obligations to give such beggar as he is seen to be taking the advantage from the kindness of other Muslim.

The purpose of begging is to feed the family since he is unable to work, not to make himself rich from it. Begging alongside the road is considered as the latter and Islam has no respect for such Muslim.

Also read: Benefits of Tawakkul to Allah SWT

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4. Never Refuse to Give a Beggar Who Personally Asks

There are various beggars beside the one who sit on the road. While we don’t have to give those kind of beggars, we must give beggars who personally ask to us. When he is knocking on our door begging for our pity, it becomes sin not to give him. Even though the amount that you give is very little or you can’t give money, you still have to give him. Ibrahim Adham said,

 “Beggars are such good men; they carry provisions for us to the hereafter.”  While Ibrahim An-Nahai said, “Beggars are the postmen of the hereafter. They come to your door and ask: Do you want to send something to your relatives?”

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5. Don’t Give a Beggar Who Says It’s for the Sake of Allah

Never ever give someone who begs bringing Allah’s name. According to weak hadith,

“A person who begs by saying for the sake of Allah is damned; a person who refuses someone who says for the sake of Allah is damned too unless he has done something evil.” Paradise is the only one people can ask for the sake of Allah,  “Only Paradise is asked for the sake of Allah.”

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6. Consider It As a Form of Charity

Giving others can be considered as a form of charity. To give away some of our fortune and taking care of our Muslim brothers has both become our duty as a human living in the world. Charity can be anything, one of them is by giving those in need.

Also read: Ways to Give Charity in Islam

7. Speak to Them Kindly

Always speak in a kind manner to beggars. Never think of them as someone who is below you and  deserve to be treated harshly and rudely. [AdSense-C]

8. Don’t Give to Those Who Begs in Front of the Mosque

“It is better not to give anything to those who beg as a profession although they dont need unless they ask personally from you. However, it is the order of Allah not to scold the beggar. It is also an order of Allah to send a beggar away by using kind words rather than giving him some money and then offending him.” – Al Baqara (2:263)

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Islamic View About Beggars

As long as we still able to work the body to earn money, begging is not permissible in Islam. Islam has a clear views about beggars, such as listed below:

1. There are particular circumstances where Muslim are allowed to beg: an extremely poor homeless person, a man who is in debt, and man who has lost all of his wealth in a stricken calamity.
2. Beggars who is under permissible according to Islam should only ask for what sufficient for his life. He should not beg more to make himself rich.
3. It’s haraam for Muslim to beg others if he still able to provide himself and his family with food, home, and clothing.
4. When a person still afford food, house, and money then he is considered rich in Islam and is not allowed to beg nor receiving charity from others.
5. When a person is still healthy and he can earn money with his body, begging to others is haraam and it’s a form of sin.
6. Exploiting children to make money by begging is also haraam, moreover when the children are forced to do so.

So those are the ways how to treat beggars in Islam. Begging is not something that is permissible in Islam unless a man is under certain circumstances. However, we should never reject giving to a beggars since they might help us in the Hereafter.