The Recipients of Charity

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The one who is truly poor does not roam around the streets begging, nor can he be turned away with a date or two, or a bite or two. Rather the one who is truly poor is he who restrains himself from asking people and who does not draw attention to himself, that is the one that should be given charity.

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) was once asked whether one should give charity to those who beg at peoples doors, or whether to withhold it from them and give it to ones poor relatives instead, to which he replied, ‘No, rather one should send it to a [poor] relative, for that holds a greater reward.

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said with regards to Allahs verse in the Quran: “…the beggar and the deprived”, ‘The deprived is the disabled one who is deprived of the use of his hands for working in trade.