Besides Zakat, it is the voluntary charity / Sadaqah that adds and supports the Zakat for one knows precisely who is poor in one's neighbourhood and helped directly. Here the concept of Dignified Poor “مسكين “ emerges, the rightful recipients of alms / charity and Sadaqah. So who are these special class of poor? Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explains.
This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī (Book 24 Obligatory Charity Tax (Zakat) / كتاب الزكاة / Chapter 53: The Statement of Allah 'Azza wa Jall: "... They do not beg people persistently. ..." (2:273) And who may be considered to have enough to be content and abstain from begging" / باب قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {لاَ يَسْأَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا} وَكَمِ الْغِنَى) as Hadith 7150, given herein under:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The poor person is not the one who asks a morsel or two (of meals) from the others, but the poor is the one who has nothing and is ashamed to beg from others."
Arabic Text:
حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مِنْهَالٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَيْسَ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِي تَرُدُّهُ الأُكْلَةُ وَالأُكْلَتَانِ، وَلَكِنِ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ لَهُ غِنًى وَيَسْتَحْيِي أَوْ لاَ يَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا ".
This hadith highlights that poverty is not simply defined by visible begging or asking for help. Instead, true poverty refers to the one who has little to nothing, but due to their dignity and self-respect, they are too ashamed to ask for help.
Explanation of the Hadith with Reference to the Qur’an
Several Qur'anic verses emphasize the importance of understanding the deeper reality of poverty and the obligations toward those who may not ask for help but are in need. Here are key references from the Qur’an that complement the teaching of this hadith:
- Surah Al-Baqarah (2:273) – The Dignified Poor
- Allah says in the Qur’an: “[Charity is] for the poor who have been restricted for the cause of Allah, unable to move about in the land. An ignorant [person] would think them self-sufficient because of their restraint, but you will know them by their [characteristic] sign. They do not ask people persistently. And whatever you spend of good – indeed, Allah knows of it.” (2:273)
- This verse closely aligns with the hadith. It describes a group of poor people who, despite their dire need, do not openly ask for help. Their poverty may not be visible to everyone because of their self-restraint and dignity, but they are indeed deserving of charity. This highlights the importance of being aware of those in need who may not ask.
- Surah Ad-Duha (93:9-10) – Do Not Repel the Needy
- In Surah Ad-Duha, Allah commands: “So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him]. And as for the petitioner, do not repel [him].” (93:9-10)
- Although these verses advise not to turn away those who ask for help, they also imply the broader Islamic principle of kindness to those in need, whether they ask or not. The hadith complements this by reminding us that not everyone in need will ask, and we should look beyond those who are vocal about their needs.
- Surah Al-Ma’arij (70:24-25) – Charity for the Deprived
- Allah also says: “And those in whose wealth is a recognized right for the beggar and the deprived.” (70:24-25)
- In this verse, Allah describes the righteous as those who have allocated a portion of their wealth for those who ask (beggars) and those who are deprived but may not ask for help. This supports the hadith's idea that there are poor people who do not openly seek assistance, yet they are still in need. A believer is encouraged to identify and support these individuals.
- Surah Al-Insan (76:8-9) – Giving Without Expectation
- Allah praises those who give to the poor, even without being asked: “And they give food, in spite of love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [saying], 'We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.'” (76:8-9)
- This verse emphasizes that righteous people give without expecting anything in return, and they give proactively to the needy. This includes those who may not have the courage to ask. The hadith reflects this principle by defining the "true" poor as those who may not openly request help but are still deserving of assistance.
Differentiation between a Beggar and a Dignified Poor
In the light of the above hadith and references from Qur'an, we can clearly draw a line between a beggar and a dignified poor. A beggar is a professional whose job is to beg. I have myself seen beggars counting money running into thousands, yet they they are there next morning again begging for money. In fact the money in their pockets or sacks full of it back in their rag tag abode is no use to them. It is just their habit to beg.
On the contrary, the dignified poor, the miskeens, even though have nothing in their pocket, will never beg for charity. They may be thankful to Allah even if a piece of morsel goes down in their stomach, and yet never complain, for they know they are being tested of their faith to its extreme limits and would try as much as they can to pass through.
In essence, this hadith and the corresponding Qur’anic verses remind us that poverty isn’t just about visible need or asking for help. True poverty may be hidden, and it is the duty of believers to seek out and assist those who are too dignified to beg, ensuring that their needs are met despite their silence.
So let us be watchful for the Dignified Poor, who may be living next door and yet have never begged for charity or food. Remember, there is a hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as mentioned by Ibn 'Abbas informed Ibn az-Zubayr, "I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'He is not a believer who goes to sleep with his stomach is filled while his neighbor goes hungry.'" This hadith points towards the dignified poor we should be mindful of and need our help, even a piece of date.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
For Hadiths on the subject, please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Sadaqah صدقة / Voluntary Charity
For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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