Who the poor person actually is
A correction of a common assumption about poverty.
لَيْسَ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِي يَطُوفُ عَلَى النَّاسِ تَرُدُّهُ اللُّقْمَةُ وَاللُّقْمَتَانِ وَالتَّمْرَةُ وَالتَّمْرَتَانِ، وَلَكِنِ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِي لاَ يَجِدُ غِنًى يُغْنِيهِ، وَلاَ يُفْطَنُ بِهِ فَيُتَصَدَّقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَلاَ يَقُومُ فَيَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ
The poor person is not the one who goes round the people and is turned away with a morsel or two. The poor person is the one who does not have enough, and whose condition is not known so that others may give to him, and who does not stand up to beg.
The full narration
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The poor person is not the one who goes round the people and ask them for a mouthful or two (of meals) or a date or two but the poor is that who has not enough (money) to satisfy his needs and whose condition is not known to others, that others may give him something in charity, and who does not beg of people
Source
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī · 1479
- Agreed upon as authentic (al-Bukhārī / Muslim)