there is no blame in his asking. But if he asks for superfluous comforts merely to keep up with what others place in their homes, this is unquestionably forbidden. It is not lawful for him to take anything—not even the zakah; even if it is offered to him he must not accept it for non-essentials whose only purpose is to outdo and vie with people. As for genuine necessities, there is no harm in receiving help. Allah knows best.

11/532 – Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever begs from people in order to accumulate wealth is only collecting live coals; let him take little or let him take much.” Muslim transmitted it.

12/533 – Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Begging is a scar with which a man scars his own face, except when a person asks a ruler or seeks something he cannot do without.” Al-Tirmidhī related it and said, “A sound and good hadith.”

13/534 – Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever is struck by poverty and lays his need before people, his poverty will not be relieved; but whoever lays it before Allah, Allah will soon grant him provision, whether sooner or later.” Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī recorded it, and al-Tirmidhī said, “A good hadith.”