Feeding people for as long as you can is not better than teaching them to feed themselves. Better cause relating to guiding people how to earn or making them depend financially will be discussed. However, if some people keep feeding you for years then you can accept their financial help. And it matters a lot if you also work hard to earn your livelihood rather than depending on anyone.
If that person stops you from working and makes you his or her dependent then you shouldn’t stop working. If you’re in deep trouble financially and unable to find work then also it’s no good to depend on others. Your intention should be to pull yourself out of poverty and rise with success to help others stand on their feet. Feeding people for sometime is no good than teaching them how to earn so that they can also help others.
If people always look for opportunities to work and earn their livelihood then they’re right for many reasons. Depending on others to get help financially on monthly or daily expenses not right. A person should work hard even if he tastes failures continuously and never he or she depend upon anyone. If you depend upon anyone to bear your expenses then his hand will be called as upper hand and yours as lower. Upper hand is always better than the lower hand.
Feeding People Financially as per Islam
Abdallah Bin Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said “Everyone of you is a Shepherd and responsible for his flock”. The leader of people is a guardian and is responsible for his livelihood. A man is the guardian of his family and his responsible for his subjects like livelihood etc. Sahi Al Bukhari: Hadith – 6719.
Abdallah Ibn Umar reprted: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: The upper hand is better than the lower hand. Upper hand is the one that gives and the lower hand is the one that receives. Sahi Muslim: Hadith – 1033.
For those struggling to meet their needs then it’s a virtue to give them charity. However, it’s even better or the best one can do to give them the means to support themselves.
According to the popular English thought: Feeding a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you’re feeding him for a lifetime.
Teaching People To Work
On one occasion, a man knocked the door of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) begging him for charity. But, the Prophet (Messenger of Allah) gave him the means to work for himself. Anas Ibn Malik reported: A man from the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah and begged. The Messenger of Allah responded by asking him: “Have you nothing in your home?”. He replied, “yes, a piece of cloth, a part of which we wear and a part of which we spread on the ground and a wooden bowl”.
The Messenger of Allah said to him to bring those things and he brought. Messenger Allah (PBUH) asked to the people: “Who will buy these items?”. A man said “I’ll buy them for one coin”. He said twice or thrice “who will offer more than one coin?”. Another man said “I’ll buy these for two coins”. He gave the articles and took two coins from that man.
The Messenger of Allah helped the beggar by saying: “Buy food with one of the coin for your family and buy an axe and bring it to me”. Man then brought it to Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah fixed a handle on it with his own hands and said: “Go gather firewood and sell it, and do not let me see you for a fortnight.
The Man went away and gathered firewood and sold it. After he earned 10 coins, he came to the Messenger of Allah. Messenger of Allah said: “This is better for you than begging. It will come as a spot on your face on the Day of Judgement.
Secondly, the one, who creates mess in your life by making you depend upon him always is a wrongdoer.
