23/89. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 2594 — Forty Dirhams and Asking
Who Is The One Who Is Demanding When Asking?
Hadith About Forty Dirhams and Begging
Sunan an-Nasai : 2594
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 2594
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ آدَمَ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ شَابُورَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ سَأَلَ وَلَهُ أَرْبَعُونَ دِرْهَمًا فَهُوَ الْمُلْحِفُ " .
'Amr bin Shu'aib Narrated from:
It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib, from his father, that his grandfather said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever asks when he has forty Dirhams I being too demanding when asking."'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 2594In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 160English translation : Vol. 3, Book 23, Hadith 2595
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 2594
This hadith about forty dirhams and begging gives a specific measure in the wording of the narration. The Prophet said that whoever asks while he has forty dirhams is being too demanding in asking. The message is tied to the larger topic of unnecessary begging. A person should not ask others when he already has enough wealth mentioned in the hadith. It also connects with other narrations in this batch that speak about asking while having enough or an uqiyah. The core teaching is self-checking before asking: do I truly need to ask, or am I pressing others while I already have means?
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith warns against asking while already having forty dirhams.
- A person should review his own means before seeking help from people.
- Being too demanding in asking is criticized in the narration.
