First of all, begging is a very bad way of earning money in Islam. Our Prophet (pbuh) said: "A person begs and begs.. eventually, he appears on the Day of Judgment with no flesh on his face.", "A person who begs money when he does not need, collects fire."(al-Hindi, VI/495; Ibn Hajar, Bulugh`1-Maram, (Exp) N/144). The Quran praises the poor that people think they are free from want because of their modesty and that do not beg insistently from people and adds that they are the people to be helped. (al-Baqara (2) 273) There are many obvious hadiths regarding the evil of begging. (see al-Hindi, ibid.)
However, when we look at some verses of the Quran and the actions and words of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), we see that it is necessary to give something to the person who begs not to reject him: When the ways of righteousness are listed in the Quran, the beggars are mentioned along with relatives, orphans, the needy and the wayfarers. (al-Baqara (2) 177) Since zakat (alms) is also mentioned in the same verse after beggars, it should be something other than zakat. In addition, when the characteristics of righteous people who deserve the blessings in Paradise are listed in two verses, the phrase "in their wealth and possessions, the right of the (needy), him who asked and him who was prevented from asking” is used. (See adh-Dhariyat, (51) 19; al-Maarij, (70) 25) It means it is necessary to give to the needy and the beggar that is not known whether he is needy or not.
In addition, in the Quran, there is another verse that says, "do not repulse the seeker". (adh-Dhuha 10) As a matter of fact, there are some scholars who understood it as “asker”, that is, who asks questions in order to learn his religion not as ”beggar”. (See Qurtubi XX/101)
However, the first meaning that comes to mind is beggar; even if it is possible to find other meanings for it, there is no sign that it does not cover the meaning of beggar.
Our Prophet always gave something to people who asked him kindly during his life; he even gave to those who asked rudely by saying "they made me choose between giving them some goods and being stingy, by using those rude words. I am not stingy.”(bk. Müslim, Zekât,127 (Davudoğlu V/479 vd.)),
That is what understood from the words of our Prophet: "None of you should refuse a person who seeks something from you and should give him/her something even if he sees two gold bracelets on his/her arm "(Qurtubi, XX/101), "If the beggars would not tell lies, those who refused them would be harmed."(al--Hindi, VI/362) "Give something (even if it is very little) to the beggar or send him away with nice words; because he may be an angel who visits you to see how you use the blessings and bounties that Allah granted you."(Qurtubi, ibid.; For a similar hadith see al-Hindi, VI/390. (5) al-Hindi, VI/363) "Whoever gives something when he is asked for something for the sake of Allah, 70 rewards are recorded for him.".(5) "A person who begs by saying for the sake of Allah is damned; a person who refuses someone who says for the sake of Allah is damned too unless he has done something evil.", "Only Paradise is asked for the sake of Allah".(al-Hindi, VI/502-503) We have not searched about the degree of soundness of those hadiths. However, since there are a lot of them having the same meaning and since there is no hadith meaning the opposite, they show that it is appropriate to give something to beggars.
Ibrahim b. Adham said: "Beggars are such good men; they carry provisions for us to the hereafter." Ibrahim an-Nahai said: "Beggars are the postmen of the hereafter. They come to your door and ask: Do you want to send something to your relatives? (Qurtubî, XX/101)
To summarize if you can give something give even if it is little as that is what is commanded by Allah to us in the Quran and that is the way the prophet(PBUH) dealt with beggars. Whether they are needing the money or not or if someone else will take that money away from them is really the deed of that person if they wrongly beg when they don’t need it the punishment of it is with them.
However if you cannot give anything then at least as per the order of Allah do not scold the beggar. It is also an order of Allah to send a beggar away by using kind words rather than giving him some money and then offending him.(See al-Baqara (2) 263)
