The Qur’an says...
The Qur’an says: وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ “Nor repulse the petitioner (unheard).” [The Holy Qur’an, al-Dhuha 93:10] Is the right mentioned in the verse 70:24-25 cited above referring to the alms, the one-fifth levy or other obligatory religious rights? Or is it a different right? Some believe it to refer to a different right, since the obligatory religious rights are incumbent upon all people whether they are pious or not.
If we accept this interpretation, then we can conclude that those who pray also recognize a right in their wealth for the needy and the deprived for the sake of God. Verse 93:10 cited above implies that we should not harshly push away those who ask us for something.
This might imply those who ask us about scientific or religious issues, or those who are deprived, and ask us for financial help.[^2] Begging is Loathsome Many traditions from the Immaculate Imams have expressed that begging is loathsome. Begging will cause the people to lose their trust in the beggar, and result in one’s humility. A believer has honor and should not do something that causes him to lose his honor.
Imam Sadiq quoted on the authority of the Noble Prophet : إنَّ اللهَ تَبارَكَ وَتَعالى أحَبَّ شَيئاً لنِفْسِهِ وَأبْغَضَهُ لخَلقِهِ؛ أبْغَضَ لخَلْقِهِ المَسأَلَةَ وَأحَبَّ لِنَفْسِهِ أنْ يُسألَ، وَلَيسَ شَيءٌ أحَبَّ إلى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِن أنْ يُسألَ فَلا يَسْتَحْيِي أحَدُكُم أنْ يَسألَ اللهَ مِن فَضْلِه وَلو شِسْعَ نَعْلِهِ. “There is something that God the Exalted the High loves for Himself, but hates for others.
He hates for people to ask from others, but He loves the people to ask from Him. Nothing is more loved by God the Exalted the High than to be asked for something. Therefore none of you should be ashamed of asking God from His Bounty, even if it be just for your shoe-lace.” [^3] It is obvious that one who begs from others has lost his trust in God. In another tradition he is quoted to have said: إيّاكَ وَسؤالَ النّاسِ فإنّهُ ذُلٌّ في الدّنيا وفَقْرٌ تُعَجّلونَهُ وحِسابٌ طَويلٌ يَومَ القِيامَةِ.
“Beware of begging from people, for it is humiliation in this world, poverty that you hasten, and a prolonged Reckoning on the Resurrection Day.” ^4 In another tradition we read that Husayn ibn Abil’ala quoted on the authority of Imam Sadiq : رَحِمَ اللهُ عَبداً عَفّ وَتَعَفَّفَ وَكَفَّ عَن المَسألَةِ فإنَّهُ يَتَعَجَّلُ الدَّنِيَّةَ في الدّنيا ولا يُغنِي النّاسُ عَنهُ شَيئاً.
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