When there is a beggar begging for money, should we help him/her without knowing his/her religion
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
ASSALAMWALEKUM.
May
Allah blessed all of you for doing a wonderful work for Islam. My questions are
:
1. How
the number 786 is related to Bismillah Hir Rahmanir Raheem and how the number
originated?
2. Who
are the People of the Book and why are they called so?
3.
When there is a beggar begging for money, should we help him/her without
knowing his/her religion or the money should be given to muslim man and woman?
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
786 and charity to non muslims
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Q-1: How the number 786 is related to Bismillah Hir Rahmanir Raheem
and how the number originated?
There is absolutely no significance or importance or
reverence of numbers like 786 in Islam!
They should be treated like numbers just like all the other numbers!
Some ignorant people have from themselves assigned a
number to each alphabet of the Arabic language, and then they conveniently add
up the numbers given in a word or a phrase of their liking; and substitute the
word, term or phrase with the sum of the numbers!
Apparently if one adds up these self-assigned and fixed
numbers to the Arabic alphabets of ‘Bismillah ar Rahmaan ar-Raheem’, the total sum comes up as 786! This is a ridiculous formula some people
have invented themselves, and it has absolutely no basis or relevance in Islam.
To substitute this beautiful and blessed phrase ‘Bismillah
ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem’, with a mere
number is nothing more than ignorance and mis-guidance! ; and the believers
must abstain from it.
Just imagine if someone calls you or me by a number, and
not by our name!!! Or if someone says a
phrase using the sum of its numbers; would it make any sense? Similarly numbers like 786, 110, or
52, or whatever, have no meaning and no relevance in the deen
of Islam. These system of fixing each
Arabic alphabet with a particular number is found mainly in the Indian
Subcontinent; the rest of the believers of the world do not even know this
(fake) science exists!
Q-2: Who are the
People of the Book and why are they called so?
Allah Subhanah has divided mankind into two main
categories:
1. Those who believe
2. Those who do not believe.
Then the Lord, in His Perfect and Absolute Wisdom, has
sub-divided the disbelievers into two further categories:
The People of the Book are those amongst mankind who
profess belief in one or more amongst the several Revealed Books of Allah
Subhanah, but have disbelieved or denied the Last and Final Revelation of their
Lord Creator, the Glorious Quran.
Amongst the surviving beliefs, those who profess their belief in the
Jewish or Christian religion are referred to by the Lord as the People of the
Book in His Glorious Quran.
Q-3: When there is a
beggar begging for money, should we help him/her without knowing his/her
religion or the money should be given to muslim man and woman?
Islam absolutely encourages the believers to help and be
kind and just with our non-muslim brethren for they are indeed our brothers and
sisters in humanity. Helping or giving
charity to another human being, regardless of whether he is a believer or a
disbeliever, is an extremely meritorious deed in the Sight of Allah Subhanah;
and if the deed was done with the intention to seek the Pleasure and Good Will
of the Lord Most High, they will have their reward from the Lord Most Gracious
on an Inevitable Day.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah
Anbiyaa verse 47:
47 We shall set up Scales of Justice for the Day of Judgment so that not
a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (a deed no more than) the weight of a mustard
seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.
There are several examples in the authentic traditions of
the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he encouraged the believers to give
charity (Sadaqah) to their fellow human beings in need, regardless of whether
they were believers or disbelievers.
Sahih Muslim Hadith 6466 Narrated by Jarir ibn Abdullah
Some disbelieving desert Arabs clad in woolen
clothes came to Allah's Messenger (saws).
He (saws) saw them in a sad plight as they had been hard pressed by
need. The Prophet (saws) exhorted the believers to give charity, but they showed
some reluctance until (signs of) anger could be seen on his face. Then someone
from the Ansar came with a purse containing silver. Then came another person
and then other people followed them in succession until signs of happiness
could be seen on his (sacred) face.
Thereupon Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘He who introduced some good
practice in Islam , which was followed after him (by people), will be assured
of a reward like those who followed it, without their rewards being diminished
in any respect. And he who introduced some evil practice in Islam, which was
followed subsequently (by others), he will be required to bear the burden like
that of those who followed this (evil practice) without theirs being diminished
in any respect.’
Beloved brother in Islam, helping and giving charity to any
who is poor and needy, regardless of their belief, is absolutely encouraged in
Islam and such a deed will earn its doer a tremendous reward from their Lord
Creator on the Day of Judgment.
Leave alone earning rewards from Allah for helping and
giving charity to a fellow human being, the Messenger of Allah (saws) guided
the believers to be kind and help even the animate creatures of Allah
Subhanah….for they too are a creation of Allah and if one helps them for the
sake of Allah, they will have a reward for their kindness and mercy even
towards the animals in the Majestic Presence of their Lord Most High.
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said:
"While a man was walking along a road, he became very thirsty and found a
well. He lowered himself into the well, drank, and came out. Then [he saw] a
dog protruding its tongue out with thirst. The man said: 'This dog has become
exhausted from thirst in the same way as I.' He lowered himself into the well
again and filled his shoe with water. Then he took the dog by the mouth until
he had raised himself. He gave the dog some water to drink. He thanked Allah,
and [his sins were] forgiven." They asked: "O Messenger of Allah
(saws), is there a reward for us in our animals?" He (saws) said: "There is a reward in (helping)
every living thing."
Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
One may give monetary help to any poor and needy amongst
mankind, regardless of their belief, from their voluntary charity funds like
‘Sadaqa’; but the annual obligatory charity of ‘zakah’ can only be distributed
amongst the believers.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
