Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 1479
sahih

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The poor person is not the one who goes round the people and ask them for a mouthful or two (of meals) or a date or two but the poor is that who has not enough (money) to satisfy his needs and whose condition is not known to others, that others may give him something in charity, and who does not beg of people."

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏

‏ لَيْسَ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِي يَطُوفُ عَلَى النَّاسِ تَرُدُّهُ اللُّقْمَةُ وَاللُّقْمَتَانِ وَالتَّمْرَةُ وَالتَّمْرَتَانِ، وَلَكِنِ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِي لاَ يَجِدُ غِنًى يُغْنِيهِ، وَلاَ يُفْطَنُ بِهِ فَيُتَصَدَّقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَلاَ يَقُومُ فَيَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ ‏

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References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 24, Hadith 80
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 2, Book 24, Hadith 557 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Allah has praised those who do not beg people despite their need (i.e., money, food, clothes, etc.) Allah, Most High, said: {Those unfamiliar with their situation will think they are not in need ˹of charity˺ because they do not beg.} [Quran 2:273] and the Prophet ﷺ disliked for his nation to frequently ask people for help. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ explains that the neediest person is not the one who goes around asking people for charity and all they want is a mouthful or two of meals or a date or two, and that is because he is capable of earning his living. Allah, Exalted be He, described the people of the ship as Miskeen despite the fact they owned the ship that Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) mounted. Allah, Most High, said: {As for the ship, it belonged to some needy (masakeen) people, working at sea.} [Quran 18:79]. The statement of the Prophet ﷺ “The needy person is not…” does not negate the vulnerability and neediness of the one who begs people. Rather, it means that his vulnerability and neediness are not the most overwhelming. The true needy person is the one who does not have enough money to cover all his basic needs and make him self-sufficient, yet he is ashamed of begging and does not disclose to others his neediness thus no one knows about his condition thus they do not give charity to him. As Allah, Most High, said: {They do not beg people persistently.} [Quran 2:273] This hadeeth teaches us that we should refrain from begging and asking people for charity and directs us to be diligent about where to put our charity and ensure that our charity is given to the needy who does not beg people for charity..
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