Mahmoud Ahmad

 

I recently encountered a situation in my neighborhood mosque when a beggar carrying a totally paralyzed child stood up after Isha prayer. He spoke to worshippers saying that he needed money for proper treatment of his girl. He called on the people to find in their hearts to help them and give him whatever amount they could spare for his little girl. He was tailing anyone and everyone until the Imam of the mosque interrupted him and told him to come and sit down with him.



The Imam then said he would talk to the Saudi Red Crescent to come and transport the baby to any hospital he wanted. He even told the father that he would bear the financial cost, whatever the amount, in an effort to cure the child. He asked the man to come and sit next to him and wait until he finishes praying.



This big-hearted offer was music to our ears and I was happy the philanthropic Imam had volunteered to help cure this little girl. Happiness was writ in every face in the mosque except the beggar himself. He was on the verge of panic. He was standing some three meters away from me and I happened to look at his face. He was sweating, and while carrying the child kept looking at the faces of the worshippers and at the door alternatively. I was a bit perplexed at his behavior. Then the beggar, who had stood for a minute and a half indecisively, cut through the lines and escaped from the door running and carrying the child with him. The worshippers, me included, were aghast at the beggar’s action and attitude of refusing the kind offer, which ironically he had sought.



The Imam then told all worshippers to be careful because such conmen would be heavily present during Ramadan, a month of charity which is fast approaching. He told worshippers that these fake beggars are smuggling children from neighboring countries and use them for beggary. These people sometimes rent paralyzed and sick children from their families to use them for begging.



There is one thing that we have to admit here, that we are responsible of allowing this problem to grow year after year. It is either because there is not enough force to combat this dangerous growing phenomenon or the generosity of the people is such that the beggars reap huge amount of money making it so attractive for the number of beggars to grow.



We need a serious stand against it because it has reached a level that it is embarrassing. They are seen inside local markets, on every street corner, outside mosques and even inside some government departments. This growth of begging in an industry-like proportion has resulted in confusing people. Even people deserving of charity are viewed with askance, and on occasions people who want to be charitable hold back because they are not sure whether the recipient is worthy or not.



The quickest way to wealth nowadays is to become a beggar.  I remember a story I read a few years back of a beggar from a Southeast Asian country who was so short that he used his disability to earn nearly half a million riyals and bought a farm and number of real estate back home. He told the press after he was caught in the act here, that his modus operandi was simple: He would enter the Kingdom during Ramadan or Haj and would beg till his visa allowed him to stay in the Kingdom.



This is just a case in point. There have been many such cases reported during every Ramadan and Haj, or even during the rest of the year with people earmarking their spots in various lucrative locations to virtually live on charity.



We need a strategy to combat this problem. I think it is about time that we stopped depending on the anti-beggary department because they are helpless. I do not think they are capable or have the tools to quell this phenomenon. The gang that controls the beggary industry is always a step ahead, outsmarting the anti-beggary department and coming up with new ways and methods to beg while staying clear of the anti-beggary department.



People, who created this problem and helped in spreading it, indirectly and unintentionally, should stop from this day forward from giving money to beggars on the street. If we all combined to not give them money then begging on streets would become unattractive and they will reduce their operation. If people need to do charity then they should offer their share to charitable trusts established by the government.



Arresting beggars should be the responsibility of all security departments working in the field and not only the anti-beggary department that is being rendered helpless by this growing problem. When beggary gangs see the government is serious in combating this problem, then they will stop. As for the good doers, it is always good to donate your charity to someone that he/she knows in need or to the licensed operating charity organization that help delivering money to those in need.

– Mahmoud Ahmad can be reached at mahmad@saudigazette.com.sa