Question

You said in fatwa no. 134592 that it is not permissible for beggars to ask in mosque with loud voice neither should people rebuke him loudly. I have seen that a beggar was asking permission from imam to beg people after completion of prayer and he (Imam) became like “I don’t know”. Now I want to ask is it permissible for imam to allow beggar to ask people, while Imam is unaware whether he is in a dire need or just making money and eventually he raise the voice so the audience hear him.

Answer

 All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If this beggar is needy or that the Imaam does not know his condition, then it is permissible for the Imaam to allow him to beg people for money. However, if the Imaam knows his real condition that he has no need to beg, then he should stop him from doing so as a way of forbidding evil. It is confirmed that the Prophet said: “Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand (physically); if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue (speak out); and if he is unable to do so, then (he should detest it) with his heart; and this is the weakest form of Faith." [Muslim]

Allah Knows best.

Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb