A Natural and Simple Way to Eradicate Poverty

We have those in the Muslim Ummah, who proudly get listed in 100 richest men in the Forbes Magazine. And if we slip a little below, the 500 and then 1000 richest list we may be much happy to find many others there. It was really befuddling how much wealth Zain Al Abedin bin Ali, the deposed president of Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Qaddafi of Libya and their families had accumulated and how much money and assets the existing rulers of many Muslim countries, including the president of Pakistan, have in their own and their family members’ accounts in foreign accounts. The money, illegally and unethically, gathered by the high ranking officials of Armed Forces, bureaucrats, businessmen and politicians in Swiss banks is in trillions. On the other hand a large number of the population in the Muslim world lives below the poverty line, most of them longing for just a few morsels of bread, leave alone medical charges in their illness and education expenses of their children, which is a matter above their reach.

In the Ahadith quoted in the article titled “Break the Shell of Selfishness to be Boundless”, already on the blog have unique points, apt to put the economic right. The Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings upon him, appreciated a moral trait set by Al-Asha’ris, the tribe of Abu Musa Asha’ri, RA. They came forward with wise scheme of mutual cooperation, addressing the issues collectively and showing concern to the difficulties of others was innovated by them. Their innovative practice actually came over from emergency situation of famine type situation in Madinah or in case of shortage of food when they were in the battlefield to face the aggression of enemy.

The practice followed by a group of the companions of the Holy Prophet, SAW, liable to be named social security scheme and a equitable policy sprouted from the moral values inculcated in the minds by our Holy Prophet, be peace and blessings upon him. Instead of insensitively and selfishly, using the food in one’s hold, they used to show their concern for others who were without it. In the times they faced shortage of food they piled up whatever was remained with them in a big piece of cloth and then distribute it equally among them. Thus those who had nothing with them to eat were not left starving.

It was such a natural and easy method of coping with the ephemeral crisis that the Asha’riyun came out from the situation without any panic and disorder in their ranks. Getting extremely touched by their noble contrivance, so concordant to the spirit of sacrifice, sympathy, compassion and cooperation, the Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings upon him, declared them from him and himself from them.

If this, in today’s term a great social security scheme, is made a permanent economic policy in the Muslim World, it can help in eradicating poverty and hunger. The upper wealthy class of society need not squander whole of their wealth. Only guaranteeing maintenance of at least 20 ill-lucked and unresourceful families around them will be helpful in solving the huge social problem.

We see the nuclear micro families having only one or two children but their palace like houses cover thousand square meters area with the rooms dozen times more than their need. While starting the construction of such houses if the expenses of the land and building expenditures of only one small room are deliberately saved and set aside, it can help providing a ceiling over the head of a poor family in an austere locality. If items of only one dish on huge dining table of each rich family are reduced, it can easily feed a full poor family in its neighbor and dwindling of hoard of money reserved for wardrobe of each member of a wealthy family is lessened it can provide normal wears of the season for several poor families around them.

We read in the history of Anjuma Hemayt-e-Islam, a welfare society established in Punjab long before the partition of India into two countries. Anjuman established very prestigious educational institutions and orphanages in almost all the big cities of united Punjab. Its charity works mostly depended on the contributions made by the Muslims and the Muslim community was not so affluent to give cash in those days. So, before kneading dough for baking breads the Muslim women used to take a handful of flour, put it in the pot kept especially for the contribution for the Anjuman. After a fixed time the workers of the Anjuman used to take rounds of the Muslim populated areas to collect the flour. What a simple and natural thing it used to be for helping in a virtuous cause. Revival of this trait can do a lot in eliminating the poverty.

In the Gulf States, I have seen a very nice practice if emulated permanently and everywhere by the well-off class in the Muslim world it is sure to be a big solution for many social problems. In the month of Ramadhan, every well-being Arab family manages to prepare cauldrons of ‘harees’ (cooked wheat and meat mashed and pounded). It is to be given out to all those who come to get it. A large number of both the low paid labors and white collared middle class men rush to get this invigorating dish. In almost all big cities of Pakistan there are some philanthropists, very generously running such free ration schemes. Making this practice a culture of entire well established people is needed.

The moral tradition set by the Asha’riyun, liked and appreciated by the Holy Prophet, SAW, has many ways to be resuscitated. Actually we have lost the quality of contentment. Greed has not left any end to stop and get satisfied with what we have in our possessions. Two more Ahadith quoted in the article and separately posted on the blog with their Arabic text and English translation, tell us something more. The Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings upon him, said: “Food for the two persons can suffice for the three and food for the three persons can prove enough for the four people.”(Agreed upon) Imam Muslim related the same Hadith with a little difference. “Food for one can be ample for three and what is available for two can be copious for the four and what is ready for the four is adequate for eight persons." In the light of these Ahadith it not difficult to evaluate that a normal prosper family can easily take the burden of at least two more families around them.

Leave alone those who are in the list of 100 or 500 top rich men of the Forbes Magazine or the ruling elite class, mostly indifferent to the problems of the common people of their communities, if general well-to-do families come forward and build a culture in the light of the trait set by the Asha’riyun, a major moral, social and economic shift can easily be materialized.