Sahl b. al-Hanzaliya reported God’s messenger as saying,
“He who begs when he has a sufficiency is simply asking for a great amount of hell.”
An-Nufaili, who was one of its transmitters, said in another place that he was asked what was a sufficiency which made begging unfitting and replied that it was what would provide a morning and an evening meal. In another place he said it was when one had enough for a day, or for a night and a day.
‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying,
“He who begs from people when he has a sufficiency will come on the day of resurrection with his begging showing itself as scrapes, scratching or lacerations on his face.”
On being asked what constituted a sufficiency, God’s messenger replied that it was fifty dirhams or their value in gold.
Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.
‘Ata’ b. Yasar, on the authority of a man of the B. Asad, reported God’s messenger as saying,
“If any of you begs when he has an Uqiya* or its equivalent, he has begged immoderately.”
Malik, Abu DawQd and Nasa’i transmitted it.
* The Uqiya (ounce) of the Arabs was forty dirhams.
Samura b. Jundub reported God's messenger as saying,
“Acts of begging are lacerations with which a man disfigures his face, so he who wishes may preserve his self-respect and he who wishes may do otherwise; but this does not apply to one who asks from a ruler, or in a situation which makes it necessary.”