JEDDAH: With the advent of Ramadan and people’s eagerness to perform good deeds, such as offering alms to the poor, beggars across the Kingdom have become active scrambling to make the most of the opportunity.
“I think some beggars simply pretend to be handicapped to draw people’s sympathy. It’s a sad state of affairs and highly unethical,” said Maher Afifi, a Yemeni shopkeeper. “You often see people sitting on the side of a street or busy intersections seeking alms, some of them pretend to be handicapped,” he added.
“Many Jeddah residents believe such beggars fake disabilities by doing certain acts including walking in an awkward way to show they are suffering from disabilities,” said Saeed Al-Ghamdi, a bank worker.
“Others display their severed limbs or wounds, such as burns, to gain charity. Most of my friends say most beggars are frauds and they walk and behave normally once they’ve finished begging,” he added.
“I was on a taxi one day during one of the previous Ramadans when a beggar approached me at an intersection from the car window. His arms looked amputated and he was asking for money. I reached into my pocket to give him something,” said Abu Hussam, a Sudanese expatriate.
“Suddenly the taxi driver took hold of my hand and told me not to give the man anything. I asked him why? He told me that the beggar rode with him once during Ramadan and told him that he makes around SR3,000 a day begging,” he said.
“I sympathize with these people. They look miserable. As an ordinary person on the street I feel obliged to give them something. I just can’t accept the fact that they are using my charity for other purposes,” said Alaa, a 25-year-old Saudi man. “I think the authorities need to look at the activities of these people very closely,” he added.
Some people complain that they are unable to tell the difference between genuine beggars and frauds. “I can’t tell who is a real needy person and who is not. I don’t give such people money even though it may be a little amount,” said Sadiyah, a Saudi mother of two. “I just feel it is unethical to give to those who are not in need,” she added.
