Begging, wealth & contentment are all important issues that we need to know about so that we ultimately acheive peace and happiness.
With the name of Allah, most Beneficient, ever Merciful.
Begging leads to poverty and on the other hand chasing wealth leads to entrapment, a slave to worldly chattles.
How often today we come across small change thrown on the streets by beggars. It comes without effort and they would very easily squander it. “easy come, easy go.” Ask anyone that works for a living what they do with their small change and no one would tell you that they throw it away.
The Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said: begging leads to poverty.
Although a beggar may get more money begging than working as a labourer, it still leads him to poverty because he does not value the money he gets. Apart from throwing the small change away, a beggar would spend money extravagantly.
Instead of trying to make his money go a long way by being thrifty he would not think twice of wasting food or buying extravagant food such as take-outs, cool drinks or chocolates while a person that strives hard for a living would value every cent and try to get the maximum value for their hard earned money or their possessions.
In this regard the Prophet (SAW) has said being less extravagant is half of livelihood. Half your needs can be met by being less extravagant.
This concept of getting things easy and spending them easy applies to all aspects of life. If we give our children everything on a plate then they would not appreciate it or value it because they have not earned it.
How often do we come across wealthy children squandering their parent’s money?
Islam also encourages us to give charity. It is so important that it is one of the 5 pillars. So what comes through is that we must give charity but we are also thaught that we must do this wisely and constructively so as to not encourage begging.
First up, we need to learn and teach our children not to ask others for things but to strive to get whatever they need by effort. Allah SWT is the provider and He will provide in His way and in His time and He would provide whats best for us. In this way we learn self discipline, self-restraint and Allah consciousness which are all important exercises for us to grow our personalities and spirituality.
The Prophet (SAW) has said: “If a man opens a door of begging upon him, Allah will open seventy doors of begging.” Instead of begging, he said “it is better to labour in order to earn livelihood than to beg whether they give or not.”
Our Holy Prophet Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam has also thaught us not to be extravagant. He said that half of one’s needs can be met by not being extravagant. If we practice self restraint in earning and spending then we would learn the important state of contentment. In today’s materialistic times we need to take note that a rich man still works and chases. He is not happy. The way to happiness is to learn contentment. When we learn contentment then, even a little will make us happy.
Even if we go through tough patches in life we should not ask but if needs be, as a last resort, we could borrow until we get back onto our feet.
When it comes to giving charity, we should do it in a responsible manner and not by just encouraging begging by handing out cash.
Truly destitute people seldom beg and it is for us to keep an eye out for such people. If a friend or a family member is not working or if they are suffering from some illness then it is for us to view their situations and offer help. Charity must start of from those closest to us.
The Prophet (SAW) discouraged begging but instead encouraged making someone self sufficient so that they could earn a living by themselves. Once he gave someone charity to buy food and on top of that he gave them money to buy an axe so that they could earn their living in future and not beg.
If a beggar does come along, it is not good to belittle him or hurt his feelings and if we cannot help then we should turn them down gently. End.
Peace and Salutations be upon Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi in 2010 – 2nd 3dition 2025. Author: Mohammed Hassan Gaffoor (WhatsApp +27849101486)
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