Poverty can lead to disbelief

I have been regularly watching Founder and President Yaqeen Institute in Dallas Texas Sheikh Omar Suleiman’s lectures and kutbas on YouTube for the past four years.

He is a great teacher and giver of Islamic knowledge and I have been inspired by his 2017 Ramzan lecture series ‘The Faith Revival’. He has introduced me and many others to the importance of social justice and Islam.  I recommend his lecture series ’40 Hadiths on Social Justice’ to learn more on this subject.  

When Prime Minister Imran Khan talks about transforming Pakistan into an Islamic welfare state and Riasat-e-Madina (State of Madina), there appears to be a mixed reaction with many welcoming this goal while many ridiculing it or are cynical that this will ever happen here.

However, I believe our PM’s goal is noble and from an Islamic point of view and the vision of our Founding Father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, we should strive to achieve this to give a hand up to elevate people suffering from poverty as it can seriously affect a person’s iman (faith/belief).  As we are in the early days of Ramzan, this is a good time to refresh the lessons on poverty taught by our Holy Prophet (SAW).

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) regarding poverty in hadith is reported as saying, “That poverty may lead to disbelief,” and Caliph Umar (RA) also said the same but added, “If poverty was a man then I would have choked him with my own two hands.”

The above illustrates the importance our Prophet (SAW) and his Sahaba (Companions) gave to the eradication of poverty as a duty of a Muslim society and recognised that poverty is a difficult test to a person’s faith.

Many narrations exist that report our Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) making this dua (supplication) after each salat, “Oh Allah, I seek refuge in you from disbelief and poverty.”  When asked by one of the Sahaba on why do you enjoin poverty and disbelief together, the Holy Prophet (SAW) replied. “They are the same.”

We need to understand that poverty does not equal disbelief (kufr) in that poverty is not a choice but inflicted upon a person whereas disbelief is deliberate.  However, poverty can lead a person to question their faith or do things that will harm their faith.

In one narration, a man always heard Prophet Muhammad (SAW) seeking refuge in Allah from debt.  When the man asked the Prophet (SAW) how often do you seek refuge in Allah from debt, the Prophet replied, “When a man gets into debt, he speaks and tells lies; he makes promises and breaks them.”  Sometimes this can result in unethical behaviour and thus, in many countries be it Muslim or non-Muslim, there is a correlation between poverty and crime. 

Our Holy Prophet (SAW) recognised this and eventually, criminal behaviour can lead to a sense of disbelief.  Thus, the Prophet (SAW) is teaching us the evils of poverty.

The Holy Prophet (SAW) teaches us the following lessons about poverty:

1. Islam doesn’t believe in self-inflicted poverty.
2. Always seek refuge in Allah from disbelief and poverty.
3. It is the responsibility of society to eradicate poverty.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “The believer, not one of you believes and sleeps at night while your neighbour is hungry.” It is a weakness in a person’s iman if he eats till his fill while others suffer in poverty. Basically, our Prophet (SAW) places a burden on society to fight poverty to protect the collective faith and iman of society.

Besides the religious duty to fight poverty, the creation of Pakistan was to serve this purpose as per the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.  In Calcutta on March 1, 1946, while addressing Muslim League workers, the Quaid stated his commitment to the downtrodden of society, “I am an old man, God has given me enough to live comfortably at this age. Why would I turn my blood into water, run about and take so much trouble? Not for the capitalists surely, but for you, the poor people. In 1936, I have seen abject poverty of the people. Some of them did not get food, even once a day. I have not seen them recently, but my heart goes out for them. I feel it and, in Pakistan, we will do all in our power to see that everybody can get decent living.

Days before independence, at the Karachi Club on August 9, 1947 the Quaid reaffirmed his stance to help the poor, “It is our sacred duty to look after the poor and to help them. I would never have gone through toil and suffering of the last ten years had I not felt our sacred duty towards them. We must secure them with better living conditions. It should not be our policy to make the rich richer but that does not mean that we want to uproot things. We can consistently give all their due share.”

The above quotes clearly show that Quaid-e-Azam also envisioned Pakistan to be a welfare state, which I pray that our current Prime Minister over time will create.  However, one person cannot achieve this but we as society and citizens of this country must play our part and do whatever we can to eradicate poverty in our own capacity. 

This is what our country and faith demand of us.  Like US President John F. Kennedy aptly said in his inauguration address in January 1961, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” 

I dream to see Pakistan becoming that Islamic welfare state where there is hardship for none and prosperity for all. I thank Sheikh Omar Suleiman for the inspiration and knowledge for this column and may Allah reward him for his efforts and service to Islam. Whatever good I have written here is due to the Almighty Allah while the mistakes are mine.