The Rights of Beggars (A Comparative Study of Religious and Legal Normatives)

Abstract

The advancement of science and technology, the effects of the Western civilization and non-Islamic economic concepts altered the concepts of people with regard to financial affairs. As a result, the rich grew richer and the poor grew poorer, and the gap between the twain is reaching appaling levels. Abundance of goods is confined to the well-heeled. On the other hand, the indigent are paid just so much amount of money as to keep the breath in their bodies. Under the circumstances, some who earn just enough money to live on develop antisocial tendencies and acts of violence. The people of low wages and those who cannot earn due to a handicap, physical or mental, are not abandoned to their fate. When the social rights of people are equal, they are likely to be able to utilize their hidden potential better. All people have the basic right to a livelihood. Particularly, the poor and the needy have a legal right to all material resources. Poverty, far from helping to establish peace, can make one to turn back from Islam. An individual with nothing in the stomach is especially vulnerable and may fall prey to heathen ideas. On this score reads the Prophetic statement:

کادالفقران یکونکفرا “Poverty may well lead to infidelity.” Since destitution may disorient one and lead to disbelief, the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) supplicated Allah against the paucity of resources: اللمھ این اعوذ بک من الکفر والفقر “Allah, I seek refuge with You from infidelity and poverty.” On an occasion, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) prayed to Allah: "اللمھ این اعوذبک من الفقر و القۃل والزۃل۔۔۔ “Allah, I seek refuge with You from penury, dearth and humiliation. . . .” Extreme level of hunger and poverty may endanger one’s life and at time may result in loss of life. Also, some po--or people, due to a scarcity of resources, may compromise on their honour and chastity and thus jeopardize the continuity of their race. In short, with the presence of suffering and privations, safeguarding one’s faith, life, intellect and property is uncertain, nay well-nigh impossible. That is why the elimination of indigence is the overarching aim of Islamic teachings, and the Qur’an decrees that the foremost recipients of charity are the poor and the needy. In this research the fundamental and secondary rights of beggars have been mentioned briefly according to the teaching of religion of Islam. Last chapter of this thesis is upon the practical steps taken by individual, communal, spiritual, moral, theoretical and state level to fulfil the rights of beggars. At the end summary, outcome and recommendation have been given.