Is it permissible to give money to a non-Muslim begging in a public place?

The jurists differed on the permissibility of voluntary charity to a disbeliever. The reason for this difference is whether a person is rewarded for spending on disbelievers. The Hanbalis, the well-known opinion among the Shafi'is, and Muhammad in Al-Siyar al-Kabeer permitted giving voluntary charity to disbelievers absolutely. They based their argument on the Almighty's saying: ﴿And they give food, in spite of love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive﴾, and the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: ﴿There is a reward in every wet liver (living being)﴾, and the hadith of Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding her ties with her polytheist mother. It is permissible to feed a needy non-Muslim who is in dire need, as long as he is not a combatant. This gift is considered charity, not Zakat. It can also be given with the intention of softening his heart and inviting him to Islam.