Charity needs no clarity

That was during my college days. I was managing with the fixed quota of money transferred by my father each month to meet the hostel & college expenses.

One day, when I went to the town, a visibly perturbed man approached me saying that he had lost all his money to a pickpocket. He went on to explain that he came from a far off place on some mission, when this misfortune happened and, he did not have any friends in the town to look for help. He appeared too genuine to me.

Moved by his plight, I offered him the Bus fare and a little extra to take care of one time meal. When I moved on, an old lady approached from nowhere and muttered to me, to the effect, ‘’you are too naive”! When I returned after an hour, I found the same fellow hanging out there, smoking an expensive brand of cigarette and holding a full pack on his other hand!


The story repeated again. A man came to office with a similar story, but promised me that he would return the money once he reaches back to his place. He carefully noted down my address before leaving. This time, I defied my colleagues who dissuaded me from helping. Well, that was the last I saw him!


Recently there was another instance, here at Sharjah, One afternoon, a car came and halted near me at Rolla. The man at the driver’s seat asked me for direction to City Center, saying that he had come all the way from Oman. There was a girl child in the back seat. He asked the child to greet me and went on to say that he needed some money to feed the child and for the expenses for his return. I gave him 20 dhs and went to office. At office, my colleague narrated the same story about a person of similar description approaching him a day before!

I have had several such instances of helping people in need. Among them, a few may not deserved it. But should I stop helping people, just to ensure that I am not cheated?


The joy of giving is something one can never achieve when receiving help from others. In my view, the sheer joy of giving would be sufficient to ignore such instances of cheating by a few undeserving characters.

Here remember the words of Shakespeare, who said:

‘The quality of mercy is not strained;
it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes’.

Charity or helping the needy is a practice that is praised by every Faith, the world over. This quality would never lose its purity, even if it goes to the benefit of a few undeserving. So let’s get the pleasure of giving to others, without bothering about our failure to recognize right beneficiary, lest we may lose the habit of giving!

Yes; charity needs no clarity!