The Solution of Poverty in Islam

Poverty is one of the most scary situations for man kind. No one wants to be poor. It is not because of the riches, as most people think it is, but it is because of the incapability to do anything in the state of poverty, that people do not want to be in this situation.

While there are some religions where poverty is seen as the sign of nearness to God, Islam does not share the same point of view. You should not confuse yourselves with simplicity and poverty. Islam encourages simplicity but not poverty. Allah swt has talked about poverty in glorious Quran in various places and has addressed it in various perspectives. For example, sometimes people want money not because they want to be rich, but because they fear poverty. This is the trap of satan. He does not want humans to be safe and content with what they have, but he incites the feelings of fear against tough circumstances. Hence, men do what they are forbidden to do. Allah swt say in the following verse;

[002:268] Shaitan scares you with (the prospect of) poverty, and bids you to adopt (lewd and) shameless conduct, while Allah promises you His forgiveness and (His) bounties! Allah is the Bounteous, the most Aware.

Thus, tough times are not a problem, problem is the lack of faith of the people. Allah swt promises His bounties and mercy to us for just one thing, faith and trust on Him. While satan wants to shatter it because this one thing destroys him. Satan knows that Allah's blessings are way to much than we can ever imagine, so he wants us to believe otherwise. But then again, Allah swt says that it is His blessings and His decision and His mercy, with which we can find rest and peace. Allah swt says in the following verse of Quran;

[009:028] Oh you believers, (remember)! those who ascribe partners to Allah are really unclean. Therefore, after (the pilgrimage) this year let them not come (anywhere) near the sacred mosque (in Makkah). If you fear poverty, Allah may soon enrich you as He wills. Indeed, Allah is the most Aware, the Wisest.

Thus, fearing poverty is not a sin, but doing an illegal act to get money and riches surely is. It has become a trend in recent years that some people are found selling or killing their children out of the fear that they may not be able to feed them. In most thirdly world countries, women are aborted because they don't want daughters or more children. Some parents were charged with murdering their own children because they had no food to feed them. For such people Allah swt say in Quran;

[017:031] Do not, out of fear of poverty, put your offspring to death. We shall provide them as well as you, the means of life. Killing your offspring is a blunder of a grave proportion.

So, whatever soul has been sent to earth, will be provided with sustenance. Its not that Allah swt has sent us and forgotten about us. HE knows us and our needs more than anything. Many prophets were poor but they did not loose their faith in Allah, rather they prayed. For example, the following verse says;

[028:024] Musa took care of their animals. Then, he sat in a shade and said, �My Lord, I am poverty struck; in (desperate) need of whatever good You may grant me!�

Even, Prophet Musa a.s, who was prophet of bani israel, prayed. So why cannot we? Prophet Muhammad pbuh taught us many prayers. Few of them are about poverty as well, for example, the following hadith contaisn a prayer;

Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 75, Number 386:

Narrated 'Aisha:
The Prophet used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness from geriatric old age, from being in debt, and from committing sins. O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the Fire, the afflictions of the grave, the punishment in the grave, and the evil of the affliction of poverty and from the evil of the affliction caused by Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal. O Allah! Wash away my sins with the water of snow and hail, and cleanse my heart from the sins as a white garment is cleansed of filth, and let there be a far away distance between me and my sins as You have set far away the East and the West from each other."

So even when such a situation arrives, one should not loose hope. Because mostly, fear of poverty makes people do what they should never do. Again, even if all the riches are given to men, they will not spend it for the fear of poverty if they do not believe in Allah swt. Therefore, no matter how much the things get worse, faith is the riches thing to keep.