BEGGING (alms)
Literally, begging means getting something (money, food or other things) from another person in the name of mercy, donation etc.
Begging (alms) is forbidden in Sikhism. A Sikh must earn his livelihood by honest means. Similarly, giving alms too is not in consonance with the Sikh philosophy.
To help some needy with money (or in any other form) is not alms giving; rather it is duty for a Sikh to help his/her brethren (Sikhism is a brotherhood and helping a brother is not alms-giving). Similarly, daswandh (the Sikh tithe), too, is not giving alms. It is “making one’s contribution to the national fund”.
In Guru Granth Sahib, there are several hymns condemning the act of begging by the Yogis and other ascetics and saadhs (who, on one hand, renounce the life of a householder, and then they visit the houses of family-men for begging their food from them. Sikhism condemns this as double standard and hypocrisy. There are several hymns in Guru Granth Sahib presenting this concept: pp. 149-50, 590, 878, 886, 903, 1245).
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)