The poor person (faqir) can be expressed by the term 'miskin' (needy), by way of contextual evidence or otherwise, and the poetry is also an argument for us, for it informed that the one whose milch animal was equivalent to the needs of his family was left with no trace of anything, and thus became a faqir who possesses nothing. Once this is established, the faqir is the one who is unable to earn what would suffice for his needs, nor does he possess [from wages or from a permanent asset what would suffice for his needs, nor does he have] fifty dirhams or their equivalent in gold, such as the chronically ill and the blind (al-makafif) — they are so named for the 'covering' of their sight; for such individuals are generally unable to acquire what would suffice for their needs, and perhaps they are unable to acquire anything at all. Allah the Almighty said: "[Charity is] for the poor who have been restricted for the cause of Allah, unable to move about in the land. The ignorant [because of their restraint] think them self-sufficient. You will know them by their mark; they do not ask people with persistence" (Surah al-Baqarah: 273). The meaning of their statement, "what would suffice for their needs," is that it achieves the majority of their requirements, or half of their requirements; for instance, if ten is sufficient for a person, and he obtains from his earnings or elsewhere five or more. He who obtains nothing except what does not suffice for his needs, such as one who obtains only three or less, is the faqir, and the former is the miskin. Each of them shall be given what completes his requirement and satisfies his need, because the objective is to alleviate it and make its owner self-sufficient, which is only achieved thereby. As for the one who begs and obtains sufficiency or the majority of it through his begging, he is among the masakin, yet he shall be given his full sufficiency and be made independent of begging. If it is said: "But the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'The miskin is not the one who wanders about and whom a morsel or two turns away; rather, the miskin is the one who does not ask people, and he is not noticed so that charity might be given to him' (16)." We reply: This is figurative language, and he only denied...
(12) In A, B, and M: "lahum" (for them). (13) Omitted from B. A scholarly observation. (14) Surah al-Baqarah: 273. (15) Omitted from B. (16) Narrated by al-Bukhari, in: Chapter on the saying of Allah the Almighty: "They do not ask people with persistence...", from the Book of Zakat, and in: Chapter on the saying of Allah the Almighty: "They do not ask people with persistence", from the Book of Tafsir. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/153, 6/40. And Muslim, in: Chapter on the miskin who finds no sufficiency..., from the Book of Zakat. Sahih Muslim 2/719. And Abu Dawud, in: Chapter on who is given from charity and the limit of wealth, from the Book of Zakat. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/379. And al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on the interpretation of the miskin, from the Book of Zakat. al-Mujtaba 5/63, 64. And al-Darimi, in: Chapter on the miskin to whom charity is given, from the Book of Zakat. Sunan al-Darimi 1/379. And Imam Malik, in: Chapter on what has been narrated about the masakin, from the Book of the Description of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). al-Muwatta' 2/923. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 1/384, 446, 2/316, 445, 457, 469, 506.
