For a Muslim, sitting idle and turning away from the pursuit of a livelihood is not permissible — whether in the name of worship or in the name of trust in God (tawakkul).
For gold and silver do not rain down from the sky. A Muslim who is able to earn enough to meet his own and his family’s expenses is not permitted to depend on charity. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “It is not lawful for a rich person, nor for a fit and able-bodied person, to accept zakat.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, hadith: 1634)
One matter on which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took an extremely stern stance and which he forbade for Muslims is begging. Begging and holding out one’s hand to people destroys a person’s honour, dignity and character. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever asks of people without need is as if he gathers a burning ember.” (Sahih Ibn Khuzaima, hadith: 2446)
In another hadith he said: “Whoever begs of others to increase his own wealth, on the Day of Resurrection there will be a wound on his face, and he will eat the burning stones of Hell. So let whoever wishes beg less, and whoever wishes beg more.” (Tirmidhi, hadith: 653)
Yes, if someone begs out of special need and helplessness, or seeks help from the state or an individual, there is no problem in it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Begging is a laceration with which a person lacerates his own face. So let whoever wishes keep his face lacerated by begging, and whoever wishes leave it. But asking of the head of state, or asking out of dire necessity, is a different matter.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, hadith: 1639)
In another hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) permitted three persons to hold out their hands to people. It is narrated from Qabisa bin Mukhariq al-Hilali (RA) that he once fell into heavy debt (by standing surety for a loan), so he came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked him about it. He said: wait with me until zakat or sadaqa wealth arrives, and when it comes I will order that you be given from it. The narrator says he then said: O Qabisa! Remember, asking for help is not lawful except for three persons —
1. A person who has fallen into debt (through some good deed or by standing surety for a loan). Seeking help is lawful for him until the debt is paid; once it is paid, he must refrain.
2. A person struck by a natural calamity in which all his wealth is destroyed. Seeking help is lawful for him until he is able to meet his essential needs.
3. A person who has become so needy that three sensible people of his community testify that so-and-so has truly fallen into want. Seeking help is lawful for him until he obtains enough wealth to sustain his livelihood.
O Qabisa! For all except these three kinds of people, seeking help is forbidden — so those who go about seeking help other than these three kinds eat what is forbidden. (Sahih Muslim, hadith: 1044)
A chief cause of a person’s aversion to work is looking down on certain jobs and professions. The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade doing so. He taught the companions that any work is honourable if it is lawful, and that dishonour lies in depending on others. He said: “If one of you takes a rope and brings a bundle of firewood on his back and sells it, and by that Allah preserves him (from begging), it is better than asking of people, whether they give him or refuse.” (Sahih Bukhari, hadith: 1471)
So a Muslim’s duty is to be industrious and, coming out of a life of dependence, to become self-reliant. May Allah grant everyone the ability. Amin.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report