Giving Money To Woman Outside Mosque?

Salaam.
Inshallah everyone is having a wonderful Ramadan. Keep on fasting, praying 5 times a day, reading Quran, and remembering Allah. Also remember to sleep :nervous:

Every time before Jumah, the mosque collects money to help continue run its programs, maintenance, etc. So I donate $20.00 CND every Friday, since I work a part-time job, it's not a lot considering I live with my parents who pay for all expenses and minimum wage in Canada is $10.25

My question however is this. Last Friday during Khutbah, the Imam of the mosque said that there are woman who stand outside the mosque. They pretend to be (or are) Muslim and they pretend to be in need of money with their children in a stroller beside them. The Imam told us not to entertain these Woman by giving them money because they are pretending to be poor and they will take their children to the local fast food restaurant and have lunch with our money.

I usually have loose change which I give to these woman after Jumah, I don't look at them and don't really care what they do with it. I just don't know why the Imam would say this.
Isn't the money we give them helping them? Do we get rewarded for giving them money and going against the Imam's words?

Perhaps you should use your own discretion?

I am not an Imam or anyone with a significant amount of knowledge so I will not give an answer as I'm afraid of giving the wrong answer but here is how I look at it.

The women/men that come to the masajid and ask for donations are their choice. Whether they act like they are Muslim or not, that has nothing to do with us. If someone wants to donate a couple coins/dollars to them, that is coming out of their softened hearts and their intentions is to "help the masakin (needy)" and what they do with it is up to them and if they are only acting like they are Muslim for the donations, then Allah (swt) is in charge of punishing them. I don't know why the Imam would say such a thing.

And Allah (swt) knows best.

Wa alaykum salam,

I just don't know why the Imam would say this.

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Because, as you quoted, these people are pretending to be poor. The imam is saving people from giving money to people who are not really in need of money - Allah knows best how he knows this and whether it is true, though. You don't randomly give money out to people do you? People who do not need it? This, I presume, is what the shaykh is trying to protect people from doing.

Isn't the money we give them helping them?

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Give any man some money, regardless of how rich or poor they are and I'm pretty sure they'd see it as help too. However, if they are pretending then you'd be helping someone who does not need it (again, Allah knows best if they need it or not) and someone who does need it would be missing out (if you may have intended to give money elsewhere later on).

Do we get rewarded for giving them money and going against the Imam's words?

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The imam's words are just an advice. He's not and cannot force anyone to give or not give money to random beggars.

In general, if someone begs you for money and you feel they are poor and out of the goodness of your heart you decide to give them money then in sha Allah you will be rewarded.

In this specific case, given that the shaykh has advised that these people are just scammers who pretend to be poor then it would be a good idea to check first whether they really are in need of the money or not. If you find they are really poor then go ahead and give them money and in sha Allah you will be rewarded (you could even go one further and clarify with proof to the shaykh that he had misunderstood and that they are really poor).

Iceee said:

Every time before Jumah, the mosque collects money to help continue run its programs, maintenance, etc. So I donate $20.00 CND every Friday, since I work a part-time job, it's not a lot considering I live with my parents who pay for all expenses and minimum wage in Canada is $10.25

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Why do you donate this money only to the mosque? Even if you were to spend this money to buy something nice for your parents Allah would consider it money well spent and perhaps fetch you a greater reward? I would much rather see with my own eyes the joy on my parents' faces when I present them with a gift than to give my money to the mosque and not really know for sure how it was spent.

Iceee said:

My question however is this. Last Friday during Khutbah, the Imam of the mosque said that there are woman who stand outside the mosque. They pretend to be (or are) Muslim and they pretend to be in need of money with their children in a stroller beside them. The Imam told us not to entertain these Woman by giving them money because they are pretending to be poor and they will take their children to the local fast food restaurant and have lunch with our money.

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We are all poor and in need. These women don't need to pretend and even if its true that they are pretending what is wrong if they take their children to the fast food restaurant to feed them?

And let us suppose that instead of Muslim women there are Christian women standing outside the mosque. Would you say oh these women are not Muslims so I won't give them any loose change I've got?

We have a woman who frequents mosques in our city.
She always asks for Sadaqah at Jumu'ah, and other high traffic times (Taraweeh) and speaks in Islamic terms all round.
What makes everyone skeptical is the fact that she never prays. She spends the whole time outside the Masjid.

People often tell her to come inside and make du'aa to Allah swt with the rest of us to ease her situation.. But she never does.

I know what you're saying. It's tough to give sadaqah to someone who isn't willing to turn to Allah swt for help and is relying on the good qualities of the Ummah.

People often tell her to come inside and make du'aa to Allah swt with the rest of us to ease her situation.. But she never does.

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Assuming she's not a pretend beggar, it could be that someone is making her beg like this and she's told not to pray, e.g. by a bad husband.

I had honestly never thought of it like that.

If you think that there is someone(s) outside of mosque begging, could you take with you some food and give it, instead of just money. If they are real need, just food would help them too. If they just ask money... situation might be something else than real need.

With no desire to speculate. This sister has approached my wife and I asking specifically for money numerous times.
Allahu alim as to her need.

I've seen this before, a woman not in hijaab asking one place, next day in hijaab asking at the masjid door.

I gave that woman both times I saw her, I knew she looked familiar but couldn't place where I had seen her until later. Perhaps given the rushed nature I was in the first time I gave.

Well anyway, every time I see a person asking, these verses play in my head:

And those within whose wealth is a known right -

For the asker and the deprived.

So I like to give. But at the same time I recognize that it's best to prioritize charities that we know help the poor and also to be on one's guard if the person asking really looks shady.

In general though, we bearded Muslims often have a reputation of being harsh and hard with people. At least that person whom one gives can say, well, it was a bearded Muslim that gave me today. And maybe they'll remember it some day if they ever hear someone speak about us. Nothing goes astray from good deeds if the intention is correct.

our imam told us something similar,
some of them don't get to keep most of the cash themselves and the imam told us they were dropped off by gangs in cars before jumuáh prayer on friday,
allah A'lam, it's a difficult decision but discretion is useful,
peace

Could not read all the responses.
These women or men ask or take very littile amounts so give them considering that this giving will clean your remaining wealth.
On the other hand try finding real needy people and help them stand on their feet. That is a lot more rewarding and satisfying, trust me.

Wasalam

Ja'Zakullah for everyone's answer.

Icy Maiden said:

Why do you donate this money only to the mosque? Even if you were to spend this money to buy something nice for your parents Allah would consider it money well spent and perhaps fetch you a greater reward? I would much rather see with my own eyes the joy on my parents' faces when I present them with a gift than to give my money to the mosque and not really know for sure how it was spent.

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You have to donate some money for the masjid, besides I use its facilities such as the water to do wudu, the washroom, and my brothers and father go to masjid for Iftar program.

عابر سبيل;1591479 said:

In general though, we bearded Muslims often have a reputation of being harsh and hard with people. At least that person whom one gives can say, well, it was a bearded Muslim that gave me today. And maybe they'll remember it some day if they ever hear someone speak about us. Nothing goes astray from good deeds if the intention is correct.

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Inshallah our reputation changes over time.