Articles

Islamic Ruling on Begging
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 12-03-2023

 

Begging is a hateful phenomenon that harms the reputation of society, disturbs and distorts its image, and makes the beggar look needy and humiliated. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) forbade that a Muslim humiliates himself where he said: "It is not for the believer to humiliate himself." {Transmitted by Tirmithi}.

He (PBUH) warned against begging and discouraged such an act because a beggar loses face in this life and the hereafter. Bukhari and Muslim reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "When a man is always begging from people the result will be that he will come on the day of resurrection with no flesh on his face.”

Islam is keen on preserving human dignity and protecting it against humiliation and wretchedness, so we warn against begging, as it is incompatible with dignity that Allah The Almighty Has honored humans with as He, The Almighty Said (What means): "We have honoured the sons of Adam" {Al-Isra`/70}.

In addition, it is forbidden for the one who owns money that suffices their need or who is able to make a living to resort to begging, be that for money of Zakah, charity, or expiation, and it is forbidden to take it. Al-Shabramoulsi said: "If the beggar showed poverty and the giver thought that he was as such then what he was given isn`t his because he has tricked the giver who thought that he was poor. The proof of this is that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "He who begs to increase his riches is in fact asking only for a live coal. It is up to him to decrease it or increase it." [Muslim]. And he (PBUH) said: "When you ask (for anything), ask it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek help from Allah.” Accordingly, the one who practices this ugly profession eats up people`s wealth unjustly and feeds his children using ill-gotten money.

 

Young children and women sent by their guardians to beg at traffic lights and the doors of houses of worship distort the beautiful image of our blessed country. They even live on the streets barefooted, wear vulgar clothes, show destituteness and humiliation to turn people's emotions and deceive them to think that hunger drove them to do this.

Islam has tackled this abusive phenomenon by prohibiting begging, encouraging work and production, and making man`s best meal that which he has earned by working with his own hands. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Nobody has ever eaten a better meal than that which one has earned by working with one's own hands, and the Prophet of Allah David (PBUH) used to eat from the earnings of his manual labor." {Bukhari}.

One who is needy should turn to the concerned authorities in our country. The beggar takes people's money unrightfully and will be held to account for that Before Almighty Allah on the Day of Judgment. The Jordanian law regards begging without a lawful excuse a crime for which a person deserves punishment because it is eating up people's wealth unjustly, in addition to being a means of deception. Moreover, people should stop giving beggars and the latter should be preached not to eat people's wealth unjustly. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on omitting the prostration of recitation?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The prostration of recitation (Sajdat al-Tilawah) is a Sunnah for both the reader and the listener. There is no sin in omitting it, though doing so results in missing a great reward. Muslim narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: 'When the son of Adam recites a verse of prostration and prostrates, Shaytan withdraws weeping, saying: "Woe to him! (and in the narration of Abu Kuraib: "Woe to me!") The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate and he prostrated, so Paradise is his; and I was commanded to prostrate and I refused, so the Fire is mine."'
 
Sheikh al-Islam Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated: 'It is recommended to prostrate immediately after reciting or hearing a verse of prostration. If one delays it but the interval is short, he may still prostrate. However, if the interval is long, the opportunity is missed.' [Rawdat al-Talibin Vol.1/P.323].
 
Furthermore, the prostration of recitation becomes obligatory (Wajib) in congregational prayer if the Imam prostrates, out of the necessity of following him. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Which hour coincides with the last third of the night?

This hour could be figured out by calculating the number of night hours which start at sunset, and end at dawn break, then the total is divided on three to get the result.

What should one who doubts the validity of his ablution and performs it frequently do?

Whoever doubts the validity of his ablution after finishing it, his ablution is valid. This is because the default is the validity of the ablution, and because doubt after finishing an act of worship doesn`t affect its validity. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who slaughters a ewe and it turns out to have been pregnant, and is it permissible to slaughter the ewe if one knows it is pregnant?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a person slaughters a ewe and it turns out to have been pregnant, the fetus becomes lawful (ḥalāl) by virtue of its mother's slaughter (tabaʿan li-ummihā).
It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.6/P.158): "A fetus found dead [after the mother's slaughter], or found alive but in a state resembling that of a slaughtered animal [i.e., dying shortly after], becomes lawful — whether or not it had grown fur — provided it is found in the womb of a mother that was lawfully slaughtered, whether her slaughter was by cutting the throat, or by an arrow or hunting dog sent after her. This is based on the ḥadīth: 'The slaughtering of the fetus is [effected by] the slaughtering of its mother' [narrated by al-Tirmidhī, who graded it ḥasan, and by Ibn Ḥibbān, who graded it ṣaḥīḥ] — meaning that the slaughter which rendered the mother lawful renders the fetus lawful as well, by virtue of following her; and because the fetus is one of her constituent parts, and her slaughter renders lawful all of her parts."
This ruling differs, however, from the case of one who knows from the outset that the ewe is pregnant [and intends to sacrifice her specifically as the udḥiyah while pregnant] — in which case, according to the Shāfi'ī school, she does not fulfill the requirement of a valid sacrifice.
It is stated in Ḥāshiyat al-Bujayrimī 'alā al-Khaṭīb (Vol.4/P.335): "A pregnant animal does not fulfill the requirement [of a valid sacrifice], and this is the authoritative position (al-mu'tamad), because pregnancy diminishes the quality of the meat. As for why such an animal is nevertheless counted as complete [i.e., fully valid] in matters of zakāh, that is because the intent there is reproduction (nasl), not the quality of the meat.". And Allah, the Most High, knows best.