Giving Charity to Those Whom One Does Not Know

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أُطْعِمُ سَائِلًا لَا أَعْرِفُهُ مُسْلِماً فَقَالَ نَعَمْ أَعْطِ مَنْ لَا تَعْرِفُهُ بِوَلَايَةٍ وَ لَا عَدَاوَةٍ لِلْحَقِّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ قُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْناً[2] وَ لَا تُطْعِمْ مَنْ نَصَبَ لِشَيْ‌ءٍ مِنَ الْحَقِّ أَوْ دَعَا إِلَى شَيْ‌ءٍ مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ.

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I know someone is asking for help, but I do not know if he is a Muslim or not.’ The Imam said, ‘You can give charity to one whom you do not know is a friend or enemy of the truth. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has said, “Say good words to people.” (2:83) Do not giv

أَعْطِ مَنْ وَقَعَتْ لَهُ الرَّحْمَةُ فِي قَلْبِكَ وَ قَالَ أَعْطِ دُونَ الدِّرْهَمِ قُلْتُ أَكْثَرُ مَا يُعْطَى قَالَ أَرْبَعَةُ دَوَانِيقَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about giving charity to an unidentified person. He replied, ‘You can give charity to one for whom you feel sympathy in your heart.’ He said, ‘Give him less than a dirham.’ I asked, ‘What is the maximum I can give?’ He replied, ‘It is four Dawaniq (a certain measurement of things).”’

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الصَّدَقَةِ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَوَادِي وَ السَّوَادِ فَقَالَ تَصَدَّقْ عَلَى الصِّبْيَانِ وَ النِّسَاءِ وَ الزَّمْنَى‌[1] وَ الضُّعَفَاءِ وَ الشُّيُوخِ وَ كَانَ يَنْهَى عَنْ أُولَئِكَ الْجُمَّانِينَ‌[2] يَعْنِي أَصْحَابَ الشُّعُورِ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il ibn Bazi’ or someone other than him from Muhammad ibn ‘Adhafir from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following: “I asked abu ‘ Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about giving charity to the Bedouins and people who live in remote areas.