The 10 riyals ..

[Nida]

Prepared by Muhammad Alshareef 'The Needy One'...
Shaykh Sa'eed ibn Musfir tells the following account....



I was walking out of the Haram (the Ka'bah in Makkah) when I saw a man begging from everyone that passed by him.

Just then a man who had parked his tinted Mercedes excessively close to the Haram in a designated VIP parking walked passed the beggar on his way to his car. As he pulled the keys out and the alarm did the 'whup whup', the beggar raised his finger to the sky and said, "Please, for the sake of Allah!"

Trying to end the moment and avoid a dip into the pocket, the Mercedes man said back, "Allah will provide!" The beggar said back, "What! Did you at any moment think that I thought YOU were my provider! I'm not asking for your provision, I KNOW Allah will provide for me."

Shaykh Misfir continues.The two stood there staring at one another for a moment and then the Mercedes tinted windows came up and the man drove away.

A needy African sister who was sitting nearby on the street selling textiles was moved by the incident. She did not have much, but from what she did have,she pulled out 1 riyal and placed it in the hands of that beggar. He smiled and went on his way.

Meanwhile the Mercedes man could not drive on with the choke of guilt. He turned the car around and made his way through the crowd to the place where the incident had happened.

Shaykh Misfir says...I saw with my own eyes as he pulled out a 10 riyal bill from his briefcase to give to the beggar. But he looked left and right and could not find him.

What was he to do? He had already pulled out the bill to give for the sake of Allah and was not going to put it back. So he found the nearest person he thought was worthy of the bill, placed it in her lap and went on his way.

The 10 riyals sat in the lap of the sister that had given the beggar!


***
Hazrat Abu Hurairah(R.A.) reported that Rasulullah(sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said that Allah's injunction is: " O my servants ! Spend and you will be given." (Bukhari, Muslim)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas(R.A.) reported that Rasulullah(sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said that "Charity does not diminish wealth. (Tibrani)
***



regds-Nida

[Lulua]

Assalaamu alaikum.

A touching...and truly most likely...true story. I know Sh. Saied Bin Misfer...and sounds quite familiar with many of the experiences which he tells ppl of.

MashAllah...

On one of my own recent trips to the Haram in Makkah...I went out of the haram for a few moments...to meet my daughter...in order to guide her into the place where I and her grandmother were sitting...so that we could all be together for the prayer to follow.

As I was going down the stairs to the outside, there was a poor old man sitting on the floor in the turn of the stairs. I see many beggars quite often...in the immediate area of the haram, inside the haram, outside in Makkah and in nearby Jeddah as well. But this man...he looked different. He looked like he REALLY needed some help. And...he was not really begging. He was there...for anyone to mercifully give him something...whether food or money or whatever. But...he was not asking ppl or bothering them, as most of the beggars tend to do.

I was so ashamed with myself that I did not have any money at all on me at the moment. And so...upon meeting my daughter...asked her for some money...so that we could give to this man as we returned up the stairs to our destination inside the haram. But...alas...he was no longer there. And yet...just a few moments earlier...not even 5 minutes...he was there...and in an obvious manner that he would have a hard time getting up and walking away fast. Don't know where he went...but it has bothered me ever since. Was so intent on giving him something...hope and pray that Allah would reward me even for the intent.

There are so many beggars there at the haram...and so many of them are merely 'playing' on the hearts of the worshippers going there. But...there are also the ppl who truly need help. Just look into their eyes...u can see the need. And u can sense their hunger. Make eye contact...and speak to them. They will not bite. And then...you may have some inclination as to their true needs.

But be careful as well...there are just as many out there who are imposters...and truly playing on ppl's mercy and hearts.

Sh. Saied b. Misfer has also related an experience he had of going for giving a lecture in one of the local masjids...and upon going in...he noticed a beggar on the outer steps of the masjid...with dark eye glasses on (i.e. blind) and having his little tin can handy for handouts.

He noticed that the man stayed on long after all the ppl were gone from the masjid after the prayer and lecture. And there was no one left but himself (the Sh. ) and the beggar. He first called the local police (in order that if his suspicion was right...they would be on hand shortly)...and then he proceded to sit beside the man and talk with him a while...getting to know him. And then...just at the time that the police arrived...the man made to get up and walk away...and threw away his glasses...making obvious that it was all fake his appearing blind!! when they searched him...they found somewhere around 10,000 riyals on him!! (10,000 riyals is somewhere in the vacinity of 3,500 u.s. dollars).

And so...one needs to be careful...and try their best to make sure that what they give to the poor and needy...is truly reaching those who are poor and needy!!

Lulua.