Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (3/392)

Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-ṢāliḥīnIbn al-'Uthaymin

[Explanation]
These hadiths set out the stern warning reserved for anyone who solicits people’s wealth without genuine necessity. In the report from Abū Hurayrah the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever begs from people in order to amass riches is really asking for live coals, so let him take little or much.” In other words, whoever asks for money merely to enlarge his own fortune is in fact gathering embers: the more he takes, the more the embers grow against him; the less he takes, the fewer they are; and if he refrains altogether, he is safe from the fire. This indicates that begging without need is one of the major sins.

He then cited other narrations, among them the statement that whoever lays his need or his poverty before people will not have that need fulfilled. For whoever depends on something is left to it; thus, the one who entrusts his affair to people is forsaken, his need remains unsatisfied, and he continues to ask without ever feeling content. By contrast, the one who presents his need to Allah, relies upon Him, places his trust in Him, and at the same time takes the lawful means He has prescribed, will soon have his need met. Allah says, “Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him; Allah always brings His command to pass” (Sūrah al-Ṭalāq 65:3).

He also mentioned the hadith of Qabīṣah, who came to ask the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about a liability he had undertaken. The Prophet told him to stay with him until the zakah arrived, so that he might order something to be given to him. Then he explained that it is lawful to ask only in one of three cases:

A man who has assumed responsibility for paying blood-money or reparations to reconcile disputing parties; such a person may seek help until he obtains the required amount, after which he must stop begging.
A man whose property has been destroyed by a calamity—such as fire, flood, an enemy attack, or the like; he may ask until he secures what will provide him with a basic livelihood.

[الشَّرْحُ] هذه الأحاديث في بيان الوعيد لمن سأل الناس أموالهم بغير ضرورة. ففي حديث أبي هريرة أن النبي ﷺ قال: ((من سأل الناس أموالهم تكثراً، فإنما يسأل جمراً فليستقل أو ليستكثر)) ، يعني من سأل الناس أموالهم ليكثر بها ماله، فإنما يسأل جمراً فليستقل أو ليستكثر، إن استكثر زاد الجمر عليه، وإن استقل قلَّ الجمر عليه، وإن ترك سلم من الجمر ففي هذا دليلٌ على أن سؤال الناس بلا حاجة من كبائر الذنوب. ثم ذكر أحاديث منها أن من أنزل حاجته بالناس، وفاقته بالناس فإنها لا تقضى حاجته؛ لأن من تعلق شيئاً وُكِل إليه، ومن وكل إلى الناس أمره، فإنه خائب لا تقضى حاجته، ويستمر دائماً يسأل ولا يشبع، ومن أنزلها بالله ﷿ واعتمد على الله وتوكل عليه، وفعل الأسباب التي أمر بها؛ فإنه يوشك أن تقضى حاجته؛ لأن الله ﷾ يقول: (ُ وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِه) (الطلاق: ٣) . وذكر حديث قبيصة أنه جاء يسأل النبي ﷺ في حمالة تحملها، فأمره أن يقيم عنده حتى تأتيه الصدقة فيأمر له بها، وذكر ﷺ أن المسألة لا تحل إلا لواحد من ثلاثة: رجل تحمل حمالة، يعني التزم ذمته لإصلاح ذات البين، فهذا يعطى وله أن يسأل حتى يصيبها، ثم يمسك ولا يسأل. ورجل آخر أصابته جائحة اجتاحت ماله، كنارٍ وغرق وعدوٍ وغير ذلك، فيسأل حتى يصيب قواماً من عيش.