Poverty is one of the calamities that befallen a specific person, a family or a society, especially Muslims. Also, its negative impact is so enormous which called for a need to eliminate poverty in Islam.
Praise be to Allah.
That said, it’s essential to know the negative effect of poverty and how to eliminate it. But how do we eliminate such calamities that have negative effects on people’s beliefs and conduct? Something many Christian missionaries have been exploiting and manipulating people’s want to spread Christianity around.
Similarly, poverty has caused some immoral behaviour and unGodly act widespread like fire in the dried forest. Which in turn result in theft, murder, Zina, sale of haraam things.
This makes people doing anything they can to keep their pocket, to show people how much prestige they have, how much money they have in their bank account, all these people, trained by poverty, find ways to make money even if it is against the rule of Allah and His prophet.
Worst case, it is undoubted that poverty has a negative impact on individuals or society, even to the point of killing children. For instance, Allah (SWT) tells us about some of the Mushrikeen used to kill their won children, either because of poverty or fear of poverty that might befall them.
In al-An’aam Q6:V151, Allah says “kill not your children because of poverty — We provide sustenance for you and them”
As the proof that people kill their children because of fear of poverty, in another Qur’an verse, He says “And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We shall provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great sin” – al-Isra 17:31.
For instance, there is a story of a woman among the children of Isreal narrated in al-Saheehayn. When she needed money which makes her felt under pressure, she could not find anyone to help but her paternal cousin, however, her cousin want to wanted to have his way with her in return for giving her the money she needed.
But Allah saved the woman from that calamities after she reminded her cousin to fear Allah.
Nowadays, even if you beg someone in the name of Allah, I bet most of them would not listen at all.
However, whether people kill, steal, commit Zina, it’s no doubt that poverty leads to crimes and corruption. Sadly many countries suffer from it and are looking for solutions to this problem, but they still don’t get the solution, because there is no solution except in Islam.
In conclusion, poverty has an enormous negative effect and the whole human nation, especially Muslims, because it can serve as a way for Saytaan to manipulate people to do acts that are against the rule of Allah, which as a result could make such person end up in hell. May Allah protect us from such calamities.
Also, there is a need to eliminate poverty and you should read this post on 7 Ways to Eliminate Poverty In Islam.
All praises to Allah and only He knows best.