Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues — Page 141
Socio-economic Peace 141 embarrassing, if not disgraceful, image of the recipient. The very act of receiving alms degrades his status. Islam revolutionises this concept. A fascinating analysis is made of why some people are very poor and some rich in the following verse of the Holy Quran: A part of their wealth comprises that which should by right have belonged to the one who asked for help, beggar, and the one who could not, the poor. 3 The point generally missed is usage of the word h a q (lit. right) that speaks volumes about the attitude of the one who gives alms as well as the attitude of the one who receives alms. The one who gives is reminded that what one gives to the poor, in reality, did not belong to one. Something has to be very wrong with an economy where some people are left destitute or compelled to beg for their living. In a healthy economic system, there should be no destitute. There is no genuine need to beg for one’s survival. The message delivered to the recipient of alms reminds him that there is no need for him to be embarrassed or to suffer from any complexes because, in fact, God has granted him the fundamental right to survive decently and honourably. So, whatever your apparent benefactor is giving to you is your own right, which somehow had got transferred to the donor. As already mentioned earlier, God’s teachings are directly related to human nature. Any injunction, which is likely to disturb the equilibrium, is counter-balanced by corrective measures.