Beggar, A Lowly Profession [Part 2]

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- promised Paradise for those who don’t beg from others

عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ قَالَ وَكَانَ ثَوْبَانُ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ –صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ –صلى الله عليه وسلم- (( مَنْ تَكَفَّلَ لِى أَنْ لاَ يَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ شَيْئًا وَأَتَكَفَّلَ لَهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ؟)). فَقَالَ ثَوْبَانُ: أَنَا. فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْأَلُ أَحَدًا شَيْئًا.

It is narrated from Tsauban, a former slave of the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, he said that the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “Who want to guarantee to me that he wouldn’t beg to human being at all, then I will guarantee for him the Paradise?” (A narrator said), Tsauban replied, “I will.” Indeed, he (Tsauban) never begged anything from anyone.” [Narrated by Abu Dawud, no. 1643. Sheikh Al Albani classified it as valid hadith in “Shahih Al-Jami’” no. 6604.]

Ma’mar said, “It was said to me that ‘Aisha -may Allah be pleased with her- once said, “Look at Tsauban! Verily, he never asked anything from anyone. Once his staff and whip fell, and he didn’t ask anyone to take it for him, but he went down himself and took it.” [This additional text is narrated by Al Baihaqi in “Syu’abul-Iman” no. 3245.]

A Good Example from Hakim Ibn Hizam -may Allah be pleased with him-

It is narrated from ‘Urwah Ibn Az Zubair and Sa’id Ibn Al Musayyab that Hakim Ibn Hizam -may Allah be pleased with him- once said,

سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَعْطَانِي ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُهُ فَأَعْطَانِي ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُهُ فَأَعْطَانِي

“I ever asked from the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- and he gave (what I asked, -ed) to me. Then I asked again, and then he gave it again. Then he said,

يَا حَكِيمُ إِنَّ هَذَا الْمَالَ خَضِرَةٌ حُلْوَةٌ فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ بِسَخَاوَةِ نَفْسٍ بُورِكَ لَهُ فِيهِ ، وَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ بِإِشْرَافِ نَفْسٍ لَمْ يُبَارَكْ لَهُ فِيهِ كَالَّذِي يَأْكُلُ ، وَلاَ يَشْبَعُ الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى قَالَ حَكِيمٌ ، فَقُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لاَ أَرْزَأُ أَحَدًا بَعْدَكَ شَيْئًا حَتَّى أُفَارِقَ الدُّنْيَا

“O Hakim! Indeed, this wealth is green (he meant that it was pleasurable to look at) and sweet (he meant that it was nice to taste/feel). Whoever took it without pushing himself, then his wealth will be blessed. Whoever took it by pushing/asked for it by forcing himself to get it, then he is as a person who eat but never full. The upper hand is better than the lower hand.” Hakim said, “O Messenger of Allah! By The One Who sent you with the truth, I will never ask from anyone after this until I die.”

فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، يَدْعُو حَكِيمًا إِلَى الْعَطَاءِ فَيَأْبَى أَنْ يَقْبَلَهُ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ إِنَّ عُمَرَ ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، دَعَاهُ لِيُعْطِيَهُ فَأَبَى أَنْ يَقْبَلَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنِّي أُشْهِدُكُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَلَى حَكِيمٍ أَنِّي أَعْرِضُ عَلَيْهِ حَقَّهُ مِنْ هَذَا الْفَيْءِ فَيَأْبَى أَنْ يَأْخُذَهُ فَلَمْ يَرْزَأْ حَكِيمٌ أَحَدًا مِنَ النَّاسِ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَ.

Then Abu Bakr -may Allah be pleased with him- called Hakim to receive a gift, but he refused it. Then ‘Umar -may Allah be pleased with him- called him to receive a gift, and he still refused it. ‘Umar said, “I testify before you, O muslims, about Hakim! Indeed, I’ve offered him his share from the wealth of fa’i but he refused to claim it.”

Hakim never asked anything from anyone after that last request to the Messenger of Allah, until he died. (Narrated by Al Bukhari no. 1482)

Asking for A Raise in Wage

If he or she truly deserved for it, then an employee might propose to get a raise in his or her wage to his or her boss. Of course without coercion.

If the minimum wage for a region was already fulfilled, and the rights of the employees were fulfilled by the boss, then there is no reason to legitimate a strike.

A strike created many losses to many parties, particularly the businessmen and the capital owners. If all of the employees went for a strike even just for one day, it could cost hundred millions, even billions of rupiah losses to the big companies.

In fact, the solution for this problem is simple. If you are among a person who demand a raise in your wage, I’ll give you three alternatives of solution:

Firstly, stop demanding for a raise and go back to work as usual.

Secondly, quit from the company and be an entrepreneur, thus you’ll experience the demands of your employee.

Thirdly, quit the job, and be a person who focuses himself on worshipping activities, seeking for knowledge, and devoting to serve the muslims.

And I don’t suggest you to become an unemployed one.

Epilogue

By this I end this article. May Allah the Glorified and Exalted gives us a strength to keep striving and not depending to others, moreover to beg from them.

Hopefully this article benefits you. Amin.

See also the previous article: Beggar, A Vile Profession [Part 1]

Written by: Ustadz Said Yai Ardiansyah, Lc., M.A. (An alumnae of Islamic University of Medina, majoring in hadith. And magistrate alumnae of Mediu of Malaysia, majoring in fiqhussunnah. Headmaster of SDIT Al-Istiqomah Prabumulih, Indonesia)

References:

“Ath-Thabaqat-Al-Kubra”. by Muhammad bin Sa’ad Al-Bashri. Dar Shadir.
“Mir’atul-mafatih Syarh Misykatil-Mashabih”. by Muhammad ‘Abdussalam Al-Mubarakfuri.
“Riyadhush-shalihin”. by Imam An-Nawawi.
“Subulussalam”. by Muhammad bin Isma’il Al-Amir Ash-Shan’ani. Kairo: Darul-Hadits.
“Syarh Riyadhishshalihin”. by Muhammad bin Shalih Al-‘Utsaimin. Darussalam.
“Umdatul-Qari Syarh Shahih Al-Bukhari”. by Badruddin Al-‘Aini Al-Hanafi.
Other references mostly had been mentioned in the footnotes.