Allah Ta`ala has created night and day for man to know the time of sleeping and the time of standing. ‘’And we made night as a means of resting. And we made day a time for working.’’(78:10-11) But working and sleeping are not the main objective of life. A moderation is brought in sleeping that the beloved prophet SAW said : “Wake up at night (last part) to read salaah.”(Tirmizi). And the beloved prophet SAW prescribed moderation and a halaal earning as a means to prevent someone from begging, to spend in the path of Allah and on others. The Qur-aan exhort us to go in the path of Allah and that our profession or businesses should not be an obstacle. “If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and going out in the path of Allah, then wait until Allah executes His command(against you).”(9:23). Allah Ta’ala also order us to leave our work at Jum’ah khutbah time. Nontheless, one is required to work so as not to ask. Because the beloved prophet SAW emphasized us not to ask people. Reported in Bukhari that Hakim Bin Hizaam r.a. asked the prophet SAW his needs on 3 occasions. The beloved prophet SAW gave him, but on the 3rd time, the beloved prophet SAW told him that it is not right to ask. Then Hakim never ask anyone afterwards. The beloved prophet SAW described a halaal earning as simple as selling wood from the forest is better and save guard one`s honour in the society.(Bukhari)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا يَزَالُ الرَّجُلُ يَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَيْسَ فِي وَجْهِهِ مُزْعَةُ لَحْمٍ
The beloved prophet SAW said: The one who continue begging people his needs will come on the day of judgement without any piece of flesh on his face.(Bukhari) Also He said:’’..it is as if he is asking hot coal fire. So he decide whether to take little or more(of hot coal)!’’(Muslim)
Reported in Ibn Majah that if one a healthy body, a good guidance and one day food, then all the favours of this world have been given to him!
So that is why Fuqaha said that it is haraam to go and ask if one has one day food at home! But if he don`t have one day meal at home, then permissible to go out and ask.
But it is permissible for someone poor, who did not ask anyone, to take Zakaat if a rich is giving him.
The beloved prophet SAW set a moderation of giving and asking. Such that the rich should not remind the poor about severity of asking. This is against the etiquette that the Qur-aan established and that we discussed yesterday.
On the other hand, the poor should not remind the rich of the severity of not spending. But anyone giving, then say JazaakAllah Khairan.