The contemporary discomfort in America with referring to people as “poor” comes as a liberal reaction against Protestant & capitalist trends that view those who cannot make ends meet as being lazy or incompetent.
People who dislike this judgmental attitude will avoid even using the term “poor” in intellectual discussions, resorting to softer terms like “socioeconomic difference” in order to erase what has been depicted by some in the modern West as the moral superiority of the rich.
The Quran and the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ attach no negative stigma to someone who is poor, & instead call on the rich to recognize the neediness of the poor so that they can use their extra means to help and do good.
Many Muslims in America trace their lineage to third world countries, where poverty was stark (e.g. people living in huts, without clothes to wear, etc.), and so they have an added tendency to not recognize the poverty within their midst in America.
As Muslims, we must respect the dignity and self-respect of those who are poor, but we must also simultaneously recognize that there are poor people and there are rich people, and that it is the MORAL DUTY for the rich to be sympathetic toward and concerned to help fulfill the needs of the poor.
Recognizing their poverty is not arrogance on our part, but thinking of our wealth as solely “ours”—and not using it in ways that pleases Allah—is.
Hadith references mentioned in this episode:
عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَتَرْكَ الْمُنْكَرَاتِ وَحُبَّ الْمَسَاكِينِ وَأَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي وَتَرْحَمَنِي وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ فِتْنَةَ قَوْمٍ فَتَوَفَّنِي غَيْرَ مَفْتُونٍ أَسْأَلُكَ حُبَّكَ وَحُبَّ مَنْ يُحِبُّكَ وَحُبَّ عَمَلٍ يُقَرِّبُ إِلَى حُبِّكَ
Mu’adh ibn Jabal reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Allah, I ask You for good deeds, avoidance of evil deeds, and love for the poor. Forgive me, and have mercy on me. If You intend to put people to trial, take me away unscathed. I ask You for Your love, the love of those who love You, and the love of good deeds that bring me closer to Your love.” (Tirmidhi 3235)
شَرُّ الطَّعَامِ طَعَامُ الْوَلِيمَةِ يُدْعَى لَهَا الأَغْنِيَاءُ، وَيُتْرَكُ الْفُقَرَاءُ، وَمَنْ تَرَكَ الدَّعْوَةَ فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم
The worst food is that of a banquet to which only the rich are invited while the poor are not invited. And he who refuses an invitation (to a banquet) disobeys Allah and His Apostle. (Bukhari 5177)
أن النبيَّ ﷺ قال: اللهمَّ أحيني مسكينًا وأمتني مسكينًا واحشرني في زمرةِ المساكينِ يومَ القيامةِ. فقالت عائشةُ: لِمَ يا رسولَ اللهِ؟ قال: إنهم يدخلون الجنَّةَ قبل أغنيائِهم بأربعين خريفًا يا عائشةُ لا تَرُدِّي مسكينًا ولو بشقِّ تمرةٍ يا عائشةُ حبي المساكينَ وقربيهم فإنَّ اللهَ يقربُكِ يومَ القيامةِ
On the authority of the Prophet Allah bless him and grant him peace, “O Allah, let me live as destitute, and let me die as destitute, and raise me up among the destitute.” Aisha asked, “Why, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “They will enter Paradise forty years before the rich. O Aisha, do not turn away a poor person, even if you have only half a date to give. O Aisha, love the poor and be close to them, for Allah will be close to you on the Day of Resurrection.”
ليسَ المِسْكِينُ الذي تَرُدُّهُ الأُكْلَةُ والأُكْلَتانِ، ولَكِنِ المِسْكِينُ الذي ليسَ له غِنًى، ويَسْتَحْيِي، أَوْ لا يَسْأَلُ النّاسَ إلْحافًا.
The poor person is not he who you can fend off with a date or two, or a morsel or two. Rather, the poor person is he who does not have enough to meet his needs, and he is too shy to beg people importunately." (Bukhari 1476)
TEXT IN FOCUS:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “O Allah, I ask You for good deeds, avoidance of evil deeds, and love for the poor.” (Tirmidhi 3235)
TAGS:
Poverty and wealth inequality
Social justice
Community welfare
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