What is the ruling on giving to a beggar who extends his hand for money, whether he is young and able to work, or elderly and sick and does not have his daily sustenance? Is praying for them sufficient as an alternative to giving them money? Am I obligated to respond to everyone who asks? And what if someone I did not give to curses me, will his prayer be answered? And is paying Zakat sufficient, making it unnecessary to give to them?

It is not obligatory to give money to every beggar, and refraining from giving to one who is not thought to be in need is a legitimate act. The supplication of the aggressor does not cause harm. Begging is not permissible except for one who is in need, and in that case, they must beg if they find nothing to sustain themselves; rather, it is an obligation upon them in this situation. There is no harm in limiting oneself to paying the obligatory Zakat (definition), but voluntary charity has great merit in purifying the soul, rectifying the heart, and expiating sins.