Request for Water or Food Is Not Blameworthy Begging
Fatwa No: 428449

Question

Assalaamu AlaikumI am 16 and have seen the fatwa on begging. Is asking someone for something or requesting something such as asking your mother for water or drink or if you can eat some of the food or asking your sister if you can eat some of her chips and your uncle for a charger or requesting that your sister buy you something begging?

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.

The request to drink water or food and other small things is not among the blameworthy begging that is forbidden, because the Prophet used to ask others for water. In the Quran it is stated that there no embarrassment or constraint in eating from the homes of relatives and the like, even if they are not present if one knows that they would not disapprove of that.

Allah Says (what means): {There is not upon the blind [any] constraint nor upon the lame constraint nor upon the ill constraint nor upon yourselves when you eat from your [own] houses or the houses of your fathers or the houses of your mothers or the houses of your brothers or the houses of your sisters or the houses of your father's brothers or the houses of your father's sisters or the houses of your mother's brothers or the houses of your mother's sisters or [from houses] whose keys you possess or [from the house] of your friend. There is no blame upon you whether you eat together or separately.} [Quran 24:61]

Likewise, asking to borrow things – whatever they are – is not among the begging that is forbidden.

Some scholars permit asking those who would be rejoiced by being asked because of their love for the one who asks them and his position with them.

Allah knows best.

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