14 Prohibition of Begging in Islam According to the Law

Everyday in our lives, we see many people begging here and there. Some of them look very poor, wearing indecent clothes, skinny body, and even shoeless. While some of them are young and actually capable to work. Begging has become a part of the culture of our society. Not to mention that beggar choose some specific places to beg. Such as in front of a mosque, at the traffic light, or even door to door.

Even though the prohibition of begging in Islam has made clear in the Holy Quran, many Muslim still do it. Sadly, they even mention the name of Allah while beg. Why Islam forbid begging so strongly? Here are the reasons of prohibition of begging in Islam.

1. Definition of Beggar

Not everyone who beg are beggar in Islam. And beggar doesn’t have to ask for fortune outside. Allah gives wealth to certain people, so that they can share it with others. This Quranic verse below stated the true definition of beggar in Islam.

Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. – Al Baqara (2:177)

Also read: Prohibition of Fortune Telling In Islam

2. Benefiting from Begging

Many people misunderstood the meaning of begging, take it as one way to collect money. They even make begging as a fixed jobs. To assure others, they pretend to be sick and wear torn clothes. This act of lie is not allowed, as Allah SWT said,

“In their hearts is a disease and Allah increaseth their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie.” – Al Baqara (2:10)

Also read: Prohibition of Temporary Marriage in Islam

3. Times When People is Allowed to Beg

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said about three conditions where people are allowed to beg, in a Hadith below:

“O Qabishah! Indeed begging is not lawful, except for one of three: A person who bears the burden (someone else’s debt, diyat or fine), he may beg for it until he repays it, then stops. And someone who was struck by a disaster who spent his fortune, he could beg for it until he got the rest of life. And the one who suffered the misery of life so that there are three sensible men of his people said,

‘The soul has suffered the miseries of life,’ he may beg for the rest of life. Begging for these three things, O Qabishah! is haram, and the one who eats it is eating the haram “. – Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, and An Nasa’i

Also read: Prohibition of Lying In Islam

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4. Begging is Not Asking for Help

If a Muslim think that begging is similar with asking for a help, it’s completely wrong. It called help when the benefits can be felt by others as well. This one example is when the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked help to make a pulpit.

Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam once sent to a woman: “Command your carpenter’s son to make for me a platform so I can sit on it!”. – Bukhari, Ahmad, and An Nasa’i.

5. Begging Brings Inconvenience to Others

Begging is permissible for fakir. But the prohibition of begging in Islam will be applied when it brings inconvenience to others. For an instance are the beggars on the traffic lights. People who are travelling and some of them are probably in a rush may feel disturbed by the beggars.

Also read: Reasons For The Prohibition of Riba In Islam

6. Begging Out of Laziness

Islam is a religion who value work hard more than anything, but sadly some Muslims are too lazy that they choose to beg instead of working. For an extremely poor elder who is not capable of working anymore and have no children to lean on, the only way to live is by begging. But if a person has a healthy body and capable to work, it’s strictly prohibited to ask from others who worked hard from day to night.

Also read: Reason of Prohibition of Riba in Islam

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7. Begging to Fellow Human is Prohibited

Begging is not only when a poor looking (whether they are really poor or just pretending to be) person ask for some fortune, but asking for a treat from friends is also begging, and it’s not allowed in Islam.

“If someone begs (begging) in humans, he will come on the Day of Judgment without having a piece of meat on his face.” – Bukhari & Muslim

More Prohibition of Begging in Islam

Here are more of the prohibition of begging in Islam

1. Allah SWT hates anyone who begs to make a living. Allah prefers someone who works hard, even by selling a bundle of firewood which he carried on his back.
2. Begging makes someone depend on others for living. It’s not the right act since one can only depend on himself in any condition.
3. Don’t make begging as a habit or even a job since all you will get from begging is endless laziness. One can get money without having to work hard.
4. No matter how much millions you get from begging, working on your own even when you don’t make much is still better.
5. Someone who is physically healthy is not allowed to beg no matter what. It’s a disgraceful act for the healthy body Allah SWT has given.
6. For a poor soul who are no longer capable to work and have no one to depend on (such as the elders), they are allowed to beg and it’s an obligation to others to give them.
7. Begging could become a big sin when someone has an ill intention behind it. Such as enriching himself.

So those are all the prohibition of begging in Islam. May we always stay away from what Allah’s dislike and continue to walk on the right track.