Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu, Shaykh. Is applying for a free Hajj or ‘Umrah or applying for a scholarship in studies similar to begging? May Allaah reward you, Shaykh.

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.

There are some details about this.

If someone begs people for the expenses of Hajj or begs them to help him pay tuition for his studies, then this falls under dispraised begging.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked, “A person wants to perform Hajj, but he obtained the expenses of his Hajj from begging people?” He replied, “Preparing for Hajj while a person does not own the money to cover its expenses is not permissible. It is not permissible unless someone gifts him its expenses, such as by saying to him, ‘You perform Hajj on my behalf,’ or, ‘I will give you the expenses of Hajj.'’ There is no harm in this. But he does not perform Hajj by begging the people for its expenses...”

However, if there is someone (or any authority or organization) who offers free Hajj and a person applies to be one of those who receive it, then this is not considered dispraised begging, because the donor offered and asked people to accept his donation and gift; it is for this reason that Shaykh Ibn Baaz said in his previous fatwa, “Unless someone gifts him its expenses, such as by saying to him, ‘You perform Hajj on my behalf,’ or, ‘I will give you the expenses of Hajj.'’ There is no harm in this.”

Likewise, if the state offers scholarships for studies and a person applies to be among the recipients, then this also is not considered dispraised begging.

So the ruling differs according to different situations.

Allah knows best.