Beggars: A Bitter Reality

1. Beggars: A Bitter Reality 2009 | Hijri 1430
BEGGARS: A BITTER REALITY
Begging is frowned upon. Yet, it is the Prophet, the axe was handed over
impossible to eradicate it; there will to the man who was then asked to
and must definitely be beggars, they chop wood from the forest and to sell
are a “necessity” in a society. Without it; he was then asked to come after a
them there would be hearts as lifeless fortnight. Having done this, the man
as stones. It is the duty of the who went empty-hand apart from an
government to provide employment to axe returned to the Prophet fifteen
people in accordance with one's Dirhams richer. With this he was able
competence. But, this—providing jobs to look after his needs. The Prophet
—does not apply to those who are happy upon this said, "Hard work and
lethargic or are unwilling to work. The labor is better than begging."
government must provide jobs only to
those who have been unsuccessful in Yet, where the government fails to
job-hunting. provide jobs for the genuine job-
seekers who have failed in their task,
There is a case of a man, who going to it is the duty upon an individual's
the employment office off and on to guardians to look after their needs. In
register to get a job, at last found a the meantime, job hunting must go
job in the ministry, and then went on on, placing reliance on Allah. 'Umar,
to become a treasurer, an official the most powerful man on the earth of
scribe, and finally as a governor, in the his time came across a group of
year 544 AH until his death in 560 AH people, and asked them who they
during the reign of the ‘Abbasid rulers, were, upon which they said, "we are a
Al-Muqtafa li-Amrillah and his son Al- people who are resigned to the will of
Mustanjid Lillah, that is Yahya ibn- Allah." Upon this, 'Umar interjected,
Muhammad ibn-Habirah al-Shaibani of "You lie, such a person is resigned to
al-Daur, near Baghdad. the will of Allah who sows the seed and
then places trust in Him. It is not
A man approached the Prophet for aid, reliance to just sit idle. Gold and silver
the Prophet advised him to desist from do not descend from the sky."
begging. Instead of giving him aid, he
asked the man to get whatever he The obligatory and voluntary charity
could spare, the man brought him his should be given for momentary relief,
possession—a sackcloth and a bowl. and not to encourage idleness, as is
These, the Prophet auctioned for two happening in some parts of the world,
Dirhams. The Prophet then asked him where the unemployed get doles.
to buy provisions for one Dirham, and 'Umar, did not approve of begging,
an axe with the other. This, the man yet, he provided provisions from his
did. Attached with a wooden handle by own pocket, and from the State
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2. Beggars: A Bitter Reality 2009 | Hijri 1430
Treasury, every month, to an old blind
Jew, and a group of Christians affected
by leprosy, to mention but a few.
Coming to a section of people who
bask under penury, but most whom do
not show up themselves in a state of
penury, they place their trust in Allah,
bear with patience their hardships.
Thus counting the days of penury
through hard work. Indeed, with every
hardship is ease. These must not be
belittled. They need to be shown
compassion, and try to alleviate their
sufferings. If the government cannot
do this much, then they are not
'eligible' for apprehending beggars in
their attempt to put a show of
affluence and plenty to the outside
world, and troubling the hawkers, who
at least are more dignified than the
beggars. Yet, alms needs to be given
cheerfully and considerably. {…Feed
the poor who doesn’t ask (men) but
live in contentment, and those who
ask (men) with due humility,} [The
Qur’an, Chapter 22: Verse 36]; {… Do
you not wish that Allah should forgive
you? For Allah is oft-Forgiving, All-
Merciful.} [The Qur’an, Chapter 24:
Verse 22] MH
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