Poverty and material deprivation

۞إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَٰتُ لِلۡفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلۡعَٰمِلِينَ عَلَيۡهَا وَٱلۡمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَفِي ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلۡغَٰرِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِۖ فَرِيضَةࣰ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمࣱ‏

Alms are meant only for the poor, the needy, those who administer them, those whose hearts need winning over, to free slaves and help those in debt, for God’s cause, and for travellers in need. This is ordained by God; God is all knowing and wise

إِن تُبۡدُواْ ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَۖ وَإِن تُخۡفُوهَا وَتُؤۡتُوهَا ٱلۡفُقَرَآءَ فَهُوَ خَيۡرࣱ لَّكُمۡۚ وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرࣱ‏

If you give charity openly, it is good, but if you keep it secret and give to the needy in private, that is better for you, and it will atone for some of your bad deeds: God is well aware of all that you do

هَٰٓأَنتُمۡ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ تُدۡعَوۡنَ لِتُنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَمِنكُم مَّن يَبۡخَلُۖ وَمَن يَبۡخَلۡ فَإِنَّمَا يَبۡخَلُ عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦۚ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلۡغَنِيُّ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡفُقَرَآءُۚ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوۡاْ يَسۡتَبۡدِلۡ قَوۡمًا غَيۡرَكُمۡ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓاْ أَمۡثَٰلَكُم

though now you are called upon to give [a little] for the sake of God, some of you are grudging. Whoever is grudging is so only towards himself: God is the source of wealth and you are the needy ones. He will substitute other people for you if you turn away, and they will not be like you

۞لَّيۡسَ ٱلۡبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ قِبَلَ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغۡرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلۡبِرَّ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِ وَٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلۡمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِي ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلۡمُوفُونَ بِعَهۡدِهِمۡ إِذَا عَٰهَدُواْۖ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ فِي ٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلۡبَأۡسِۗ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَ

Goodness does not consist in turning your face towards East or West. The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars, and to liberate those in bondage; those who keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God

يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَۖ قُلۡ مَآ أَنفَقۡتُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرࣲ فَلِلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِۗ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرࣲ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمࣱ‏

They ask you [Prophet] what they should give. Say, ‘Whatever you give should be for parents, close relatives, orphans, the needy, and travellers. God is well aware of whatever good you do

وَإِذَا حَضَرَ ٱلۡقِسۡمَةَ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينُ فَٱرۡزُقُوهُم مِّنۡهُ وَقُولُواْ لَهُمۡ قَوۡلࣰ ا مَّعۡرُوفࣰ ا

If other relatives, orphans, or needy people are present at the distribution, give them something too, and speak kindly to them

The freewill offerings are for the poor, and the indigent.... and the son of the road.... O you whose heart has never for one day walked in poverty and who, in your whole life, have never for one hour sat like Jacob in poverty's house of sorrows! O you who have never for one day placed your own attributes with the description of poverty in the mangonel of struggle and never for an instant sacrificed your spirit in the cave of exile and the state of indigence by following the beloved Prophet and the sincerely truthful Abū Bakr. You suppose that without tasting the drink of poverty and wearing the clothes of discipline today you will dwell tomorrow in the domiciles of the High Chambers with the poor among the Companions and the men of the road of poverty. Your supposition is erroneous and your self-governance wrong. They were a thousand times more passionate about that poverty of theirs th

The voluntary almsgivings the alms to be dispensed are only for the poor who cannot find anything to suffice them in the least and the needy who cannot find anything to suffice them and those who work with them that is with these alms in other words the one who collects them the one who takes the oaths from those who claim them the slave to be manumitted by contract as well as the tax-summoner; and those whose hearts are to be reconciled so that they might become Muslims or that Islam might be firmly established or that their peers might become Muslims or that they might defend Muslims all of whom are classed according to different categories. According to al-Shāfi‘ī may God be pleased with him the first and the last of these categories are no longer given of the alms-tax today because of the established power of Islam; in contrast the other two categories are given of the alms-tax accor

(If ye publish your almsgiving�) [2:271]. Said al-Kalbi: �When the saying of Allah, exalted is He, (And whatsoever good thing ye spend�) [2:272], the Companions asked: �O Messenger of Allah! Is giving alms in secret better or giving it in the open?� In response Allah revealed this verse�.

And God is the Unneedy, and you are the poor. God has no need for your obedience, and you are the poor toward His mercy. God is the Unneedy and has no need for anyone. He is One and has no associate or partner. He is the Compeller, and no one has the color of union with Him. He is the Owner of the Kingdom, and no matter what He does, no one has the gall to protest or a way to fight. If you were to gather all the deeds of the sincerely truthful among the folk of the earth and all the obedient acts of the holy ones of heaven, they would not have the weight of a gnat's wing in the scales of the majesty of the Possessor of Majesty. Beware! Never look at your own distracted deeds or your own tiny intellect with the eye of self-admiration. When you seek Him, seek Him through His bounty, not your intellect and knowledge. Were it not for God's bounty toward you, and His mercy, none of you would

Piety is not that you turn your faces to the east and the west. Rather, piety is he who has faith in God, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets; who gives wealth despite lov- ing it to kinsfolk, orphans, the indigent, the son of the road, beggars, and slaves; and who per- forms the prayer and gives the alms tax; those who are loyal to their covenant when they make a covenant; those who are patient in misfortune, hardship, and moments of peril. It is they who have been truthful, and it is they who are the godwary. You have learned what the Shariah stipulates in terms of the outward meaning of this verse. Now listen to the inner meaning in the tongue of allusion and recognize the signs of the Haqiqah, for the Haqiqah is to the Shariah as the spirit is to the body. What is a body without a spirit? Such is the Shariah without the Haqiqah. The Shariah is the house of the servit

They ask thee what they should expend. Say: “Whatever good you expend should be for parents and kinsmen, orphans, the indigent, and the son of the road.” And whatever good you do, God knows it. Throwing away money in the path of the Shariah is beautiful, but it is not like throwing away the spirit in the field of the Haqiqah and becoming separate from all others at the moment of contem- plation. Keeping to the stipulation of loyalty is beautiful, but not as much as becoming separate from self and stepping onto the carpet of limpidness. Someone asks, “What should we do with our property? How should we spend it?” The Shariah answers, “From 200 dirhams, 5 dirhams; from 20 dinars, one-half dinar.” Someone else asks and the Haqiqah answers, “You will not be with Him along with body and spirit.” Yes, the story of the wage-earners is one thing, the story of the recognizers something else. The w

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَعُدْ فِي صَدَقَتِكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated from 'Umar bin Khattab that:the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Do not take back your charity.”

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْعَبَّاسِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَتَصَدَّقُ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ فِي صَدَقَتِهِ مَثَلُ الْكَلْبِ يَقِيءُ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ فَيَأْكُلُ قَيْئَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abdullah bin 'Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:“The likeness of the one who gives charity then takes it back is that of a dog who vomits then goes back and eats its vomit.”

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ التَّمِيمِيُّ الْكُوفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنِ الْمَعْرُورِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ جِئْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي ظِلِّ الْكَعْبَةِ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَرَآنِي مُقْبِلاً فَقَالَ ‏"‏ هُمُ الأَخْسَرُونَ وَرَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ مَا لِي لَعَلَّهُ أُنْزِلَ فِيَّ شَيْءٌ ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ مَنْ هُمْ فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَأُمِّي ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ هُمُ الأَكْثَرُونَ إِلاَّ مَنْ قَالَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَحَثَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَعَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَعَنْ شِمَالِهِ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ يَمُوتُ رَجُلٌ فَيَدَعُ إِبِلاً أَوْ بَقَرًا لَمْ يُؤَدِّ زَكَاتَهَا إِلاَّ جَاءَتْهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْظَمَ مَا كَانَتْ وَأَسْمَنَهُ تَطَؤُهُ بِأَخْفَافِهَا وَتَنْطَحُهُ بِقُرُونِهَا كُلَّمَا نَفِدَتْ أُخْرَاهَا عَادَتْ عَلَيْهِ أُولاَهَا حَتَّى يُقْضَى بَيْنَ النَّاسِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ مِثْلُهُ ‏.‏ وَعَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رضى الله عنه قَالَ لُعِنَ مَانِعُ الصَّدَقَةِ ‏.‏ وَعَنْ قَبِيصَةَ بْنِ هُلْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَجَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي ذَرٍّ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَاسْمُ أَبِي ذَرٍّ جُنْدُبُ بْنُ السَّكَنِ وَيُقَالُ ابْنُ جُنَادَةَ ‏.‏ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُنِيرٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ الدَّيْلَمِ عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ مُزَاحِمٍ قَالَ الأَكْثَرُونَ أَصْحَابُ عَشَرَةِ آلاَفٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُنِيرٍ مَرْوَزِيٌّ رَجُلٌ صَالِحٌ ‏.‏

Abu Dharr narrated:"I came to the Messenger of Allah while he was sitting in the shade of the Ka'bah." He said: "He saw me approaching and he said: 'They are lost on the Day of Judgment! By the Lord of the Ka'bah!'" He said: "I said t myself: Woe is me! Perhaps something has been revealed about me!'" He said: "So I said: 'Who are they, and may my father and mother be ransomed for you.' So the Messenger of Allah said: 'They are those who have much, except for who says like this, and this, and this and motioned with his hand to his front, and t his right, and to his left.' Then he said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! No man will die, leaving a camel or a cow that he did not pay Zakat on, except that it will come on the Day of Judgment larger and fatter than it was, they will tread him under their hooves and butt him with their horns, all of them; such that when the last of them has had a turn, the first returns to him, until he is judged before the people

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْكُوفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا نَتَمَنَّى أَنْ يَأْتِيَ، الأَعْرَابِيُّ الْعَاقِلُ فَيَسْأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَنَحْنُ عِنْدَهُ فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِذْ أَتَاهُ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَجَثَا بَيْنَ يَدَىِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ رَسُولَكَ أَتَانَا فَزَعَمَ لَنَا أَنَّكَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَرْسَلَكَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَبِالَّذِي رَفَعَ السَّمَاءَ وَبَسَطَ الأَرْضَ وَنَصَبَ الْجِبَالَ آللَّهُ أَرْسَلَكَ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَكَ زَعَمَ لَنَا أَنَّكَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّ عَلَيْنَا خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَةِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَبِالَّذِي أَرْسَلَكَ آللَّهُ أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَكَ زَعَمَ لَنَا أَنَّكَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّ عَلَيْنَا صَوْمَ شَهْرٍ فِي السَّنَةِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ صَدَقَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَبِالَّذِي أَرْسَلَكَ آللَّهُ أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَكَ زَعَمَ لَنَا أَنَّكَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّ عَلَيْنَا فِي أَمْوَالِنَا الزَّكَاةَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ صَدَقَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَبِالَّذِي أَرْسَلَكَ آللَّهُ أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَكَ زَعَمَ لَنَا أَنَّكَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّ عَلَيْنَا الْحَجَّ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَبِالَّذِي أَرْسَلَكَ آللَّهُ أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لاَ أَدَعُ مِنْهُنَّ شَيْئًا وَلاَ أُجَاوِزُهُنَّ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ وَثَبَ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِنْ صَدَقَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ مِنْ غَيْرِ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ عَنْ أَنَسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ يَقُولُ قَالَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ فِقْهُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّ الْقِرَاءَةَ عَلَى الْعَالِمِ وَالْعَرْضَ عَلَيْهِ جَائِزٌ مِثْلُ السَّمَاعِ ‏.‏ وَاحْتَجَّ بِأَنَّ الأَعْرَابِيَّ عَرَضَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَقَرَّ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏

Anas narrated:"We used to hope that an intelligent Bedouin would show up to question the Prophet while we were with him. So one while we were with him, a Bedouin came, kneeling in front of the Prophet, and he said: 'O Muhammad, your messenger came to us and told us that you say that Allah sent you.' So the Prophet say: 'Yes.' He said, 'So, (swear) by the One who raised the heaves, and spread out the earth, and erected the mountains; has Allah sent you?' The Prophet said, 'Yes.' He said: 'Your messenger told us that you say that there are five prayers required from us in a day and a night.' The Prophet said, 'Yes.' He said, 'By the One Who sent you, has Allah ordered that you you?' He said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Your messenger told us that you say that we are required to fast for a month out of the year.' He said, 'He told the truth.' He said, 'By the One Who sent you, has Allah ordered that you?' The Prophet said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Your messenger told us that Zakat is required from our wealth.' The Prophet said, 'He told the truth.' He said, 'By the One Who sent you, has Allah ordered you that?' The Prophet said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Your messenger told us that you say that we are required to perform Hajj to Allah's House if able to undertake the journey.' The Prophet said, 'Yes.' He said, 'By the One Who sent you, has Allah Commanded you that?' (The Prophet said:) 'Yes.' So he said: 'By the One Who sent you with the Truth, I will not leave any of them, nor surpass them.' Then he got up quickly (leaving). The Prophet said: 'If the Bedouin told the truth, then he will enter Paradise

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعُ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْمَكِّيُّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ صَيْفِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْبَدٍ، مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ بَعَثَ مُعَاذًا إِلَى الْيَمَنِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّكَ تَأْتِي قَوْمًا أَهْلَ كِتَابٍ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لِذَلِكَ فَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لِذَلِكَ فَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَدَقَةً فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ تُؤْخَذُ مِنْ أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ فَتُرَدُّ فِي فُقَرَائِهِمْ فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لِذَلِكَ فَإِيَّاكَ وَكَرَائِمَ أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهَا لَيْسَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Ibn Abbas(RAH) narrated that:the Prophet send Muadh to Yemen, and said: “You are going to some people among the People of the Book. Call them to bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that I am the messenger of Allah. If they obey that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five prayers every day and night. If they obey that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them charity (Zakat) from their wealth, to be taken from the rich and given to their poor. If they obey that, then beware of (taking) the best of their wealth. And beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between and Allah.”

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ الْعَدَنِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ، وَجَامِعِ بْنِ أَبِي رَاشِدٍ، سَمِعَا شَقِيقَ بْنَ سَلَمَةَ، يُخْبِرُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ لاَ يُؤَدِّي زَكَاةَ مَالِهِ إِلاَّ مُثِّلَ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ شُجَاعًا أَقْرَعَ حَتَّى يُطَوِّقَ عُنُقَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ مِصْدَاقَهُ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ‏(‏وَلاَ يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ}‏ الآيَةَ ‏.‏

Abdullah bin Masud (RAH) narrated that:the Messenger of Allah said: “There is no one who does not pay Zakat on his wealth but a bald headed snake will be made to appear to him on the Day of Resurrection, until it encircles his neck.” Then the messenger of Allah recited the following Verse from the Book of Allah the Most High: “And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allah had bestowed on them of His Bounty(wealth) think that is good for them”

المرتبة الأولى مشتركة بين الخلق وهي ذل الحاجة والفقر إلى الله فأهل السموات والأرض جميعا محتاجون إليه فقراء إليه وهو وحده الغني عنهم وكل أهل السموات والأرض يسألونه وهو لا يسأل أحدا

وقال يحيى بن معاذ رحمة الله عليه مسكين ابن آدم لو خاف النار كما يخاف الفقر دخل الجنة

وقال بعض الحكماء مسكين ابن آدم لو خاف من النار كما يخاف من الفقر لنجا منهما جميعا ولو رغب فى الجنة كما يرغب فى الغنى لفاز بهما جميعا ولو خاف الله فى الباطن كما يخاف خلقه فى الظاهر لسعد فى الدارين جميعا

وقد ذكرنا جملة من أخبار الإيثار وأحوال الأولياء في كتاب الفقر والزهد فلا حاجة إلى الإعادة ههنا وبالله التوفيق وعليه التوكل فيما يرضيه عز وجل

اعلم أن الفقر عبارة عن فقد ما هو محتاج إليه أما فقد ما لا حاجة إليه فلا يسمى فقرا

فإذا أفرد عم وإذا قرن بغيره خص كاسم الفقير والمسكين لما أفرد أحدهما في مثل قوله [273 البقرة] : {للفقراء الذين أحصروا في سبيل الله} وقوله [89 المائدة] : {إطعام عشرة مساكين} دخل فيه الآخر ولما قرن بينهما في

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Does Social and Economic Disadvantage Predict Lower Engagement with Parenting Interventions? An Integrative Analysis Using Individual Participant Data.: There is a social gradient to the determinants of health; low socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked to reduced educational attainment and employment prospects, which in turn affect physical and mental wellbeing. One goal of preventive interventions, such as parenting programs, is to reduce these health inequalities by supporting families with difficulties that are often patterned by SES. Despite these intentions, a recent individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis of the Incredible Yea

Not all social capital is good capital.

Limited empirical research on social capital has investigated the potential downside of social capital on health and well-being. We hypothesized that social capital and mastery might vary according to education with lower-educated persons experiencing fewer advantages. This study used a stratified cluster design to recruit a volunteer sample of 332 adult residents from 7 metropolitan census tracts. The survey included a position generator to collect social capital network data. Generalized estimating equations were used to account for the clustering of respondents in census tracts. Results indicated a differential association between individual social capital and mastery according to educational attainment. Among persons with a high school degree or more, higher social capital was associated with a higher sense of mastery; among less-educated persons, higher individual social capital was…

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Social capital and perceived health in Japan: an ecological and multilevel analysis.

Numerous empirical studies, largely conducted in Western societies, have linked social capital to health outcomes. However, few studies thus far have been conducted in northeastern Asian countries, particularly Japan. Therefore, whether social capital is a determinant of health in Japanese society remains unclear. This study attempted to provide new evidence for the impact of social capital on health in Japan by analyzing original survey data with two different statistical models. In total, 1910 subjects were randomly selected from 210 enumeration districts (EDs) considered in the 2000 population census. In the present study, after excluding missing data on the outcome and predictor variables, we conducted an analysis of 1157 individuals nested within 206 EDs. Ecological and multilevel regression analyses were performed to examine the association between social capital and health, measur…

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Health care seeking among pulmonary tuberculosis suspects and patients in rural Ethiopia: a community-based study.

Background: Health care seeking is a dynamic process that is influenced by socio-demographic, cultural and other factors. In Ethiopia, there are limited studies regarding the health seeking behaviour of tuberculosis (TB) suspects and TB patients. However, a thorough understanding of patients' motivation and actions is crucial to understanding TB and the treatment of disease. Such insights would conceivably help to reduce delay in diagnosis, improve treatment adherence and thereby reduce transmission of TB in the community. The objective of this study was to describe and analyze health care seeking among TB suspects and pulmonary TB (PTB) cases in a rural district of the Amhara Region in Ethiopia. Methods: Study kebeles were randomly selected in a cross-sectional study design. House-to-house visits were conducted in which individuals aged 15 years and above in all households of the kebele…

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Religiosity and hope: a path for women coping with a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Background: Both religiosity and hope are known for their positive role in coping with cancer. Objective: This study examines the mediating role of hope between religiosity and coping for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Method: Israeli Jewish women with breast cancer (N=233) completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, The Systems of Belief Inventory, and The Hope Scale. Results: By use of hierarchical regression, hope was found to be a mediator between religiosity and three coping styles. Conclusion: Special attention should be given to the role of hope for religious patients because it increases the positive effects of religion in coping with cancer.

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Religious involvement and cigarette smoking among Iranian university students.

Objectives: To find out the prevalence of cigarette smoking in a group of Iranian Muslim students and also to find out if there is a relationship between religious practices and cigarette smoking. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 950 university students in Kerman, Iran were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire consisting of questions on demographic data, cigarette smoking, and religious practices. It was explained that the study was anonymous and voluntary, and confidentiality was assured. Results: All 833 subjects who participated in the study were Muslims, 54.1% of whom were female and 89.3% were single. Approximately 40% of male students and 5.8% of the female ones were smokers. Based on bivariate analysis, some differences were noted in the prevalence of smoking according to gender, marital status, income, average university scores, close friend's smoking, paren…

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Social inequality in walking speed in early old age in the Whitehall II study.

Background: We investigated social inequalities in walking speed in early old age. Methods: Walking speed was measured by timed 8-ft (2.44 m) test in 6,345 individuals, with mean age of 61.1 (SD 6.0) years. Current or last known civil service employment grade defined socioeconomic position. Results: Mean walking speed was 1.36 (SD 0.29) m/s in men and 1.21 (SD 0.30) in women. Average age- and ethnicity-adjusted walking speed was approximately 13% higher in the highest employment grade compared with the lowest. Based on the relative index of inequality (RII), the difference in walking speed across the social hierarchy was 0.15 m/s (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12-0.18) in men and 0.17 m/s (0.12-0.22) in women, corresponding to an age-related difference of 18.7 (13.6-23.8) years in men and 14.9 (9.9-19.9) years in women. The RII for slow walking speed (logistic model for lowest sex-speci…

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Ethnicity and nativity status as determinants of perceived social support: testing the concept of familism.

Research has demonstrated a protective effect of social support on health. Social support is most often treated as an independent variable. However, as with disease risk factors, which are not randomly distributed, health-promoting resources such as social support are also systematically patterned. For example, in the USA, family support is thought to be high among Latinos, Mexican Americans in particular. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, we explored the relationships between ethnicity/nativity status, socioeconomic status (SES) and perceived social support from family and friends. We also assessed the role of retention of culture-measured as primary language spoken at home-on social support. Finally, we tested whether SES moderated the relationship between ethnicity/nativity status and social support. Foreign and US-born Latinos, most notably, f…

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Knowledge, attitudes and practices survey on organ donation among a selected adult population of Pakistan.

Background: To determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding organ donation in a selected adult population in Pakistan. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to generate a sample of 440; 408 interviews were successfully completed and used for analysis. Data collection was carried out via a face to face interview based on a pre-tested questionnaire in selected public areas of Karachi, Pakistan. Data was analyzed using SPSS v.15 and associations were tested using the Pearson's Chi square test. Multiple logistic regression was used to find independent predictors of knowledge status and motivation of organ donation. Results: Knowledge about organ donation was significantly associated with education (p = 0.000) and socioeconomic status (p = 0.038). 70/198 (35.3%) people expressed a high motivation to donate. Allowance of organ donation in religion was significantly associated wi…

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Mental health symptoms in relation to socio-economic conditions and lifestyle factors--a population-based study in Sweden.

Background: Poor mental health has large social and economic consequences both for the individual and society. In Sweden, the prevalence of mental health symptoms has increased since the beginning of the 1990 s. There is a need for a better understanding of the area for planning preventive activities and health care. Methods: The study is based on a postal survey questionnaire sent to a random sample of men and women aged 18-84 years in 2004. The overall response rate was 64%. The area investigated covers 55 municipalities with about one million inhabitants in central part of Sweden. The study population includes 42,448 respondents. Mental health was measured with self-reported symptoms of anxiety/depression (EQ-5D, 5th question). The association between socio-economic conditions, lifestyle factors and mental health symptoms was investigated using multivariate multinomial logistic regres…

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Irritable bowel syndrome is strongly associated with generalized anxiety disorder: a community study.

Background: No previous study has examined the comorbidity of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in a general population using standardized diagnostic methods. Aim: To examine the prevalence, comorbidity and risk correlates of IBS and GAD in a general population. Methods: A random community-based telephone survey was conducted. The questionnaire covered symptoms of IBS, GAD, core depressive symptoms, help-seeking behaviour and functional impairment on the Sheehan Disability Scale. Results: A total of 2005 participants completed the interview. The current prevalence of IBS was 5.4% and the 12-month prevalence of GAD was 4%. GAD was five times more common among IBS respondents than non-IBS respondents (OR: 5.84, P < 0.001), whereas IBS was 4.7 times more common among GAD respondents than among non-GAD respondents (OR: 6.32, P < 0.001). Core depressive sym…

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Individual, social, environmental, and physical environmental correlates with physical activity among Canadians: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The identification of various individual, social and physical environmental factors affecting physical activity (PA) behavior in Canada can help in the development of more tailored intervention strategies for promoting higher PA levels in Canada. This study examined the influences of various individual, social and physical environmental factors on PA participation by gender, age and socioeconomic status, using data from the 2002 nationwide survey of the Physical Activity Monitor. Methods: In 2002, 5,167 Canadians aged 15-79 years, selected by random-digit dialling from household-based telephone exchanges, completed a telephone survey. The short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to collect information on total physical activity. The effects of socio-economical status, self-rated health, self-efficacy, intention, perceived barriers to PA, hea…

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Religiosity, spirituality, and socioemotional functioning in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Religious beliefs, religious activities, and spirituality are coping resources used by many mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined whether and how these resources were related to maternal socioemotional functioning. Mothers of children with ASD completed questionnaires assessing religiosity, spirituality, and a wide range of outcome variables, including stress, depression, self-esteem, life satisfaction, positive affect, and sense of control. Analyses revealed that religious beliefs and spirituality were associated with better positive outcomes and, to a lesser extent, lower levels of negative outcomes. Of the two predictors, spirituality accounted for more unique variance in positive outcomes. In contrast, religious activities were related to more negative outcomes and lower levels of positive outcomes.

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Stress pathways to spontaneous preterm birth: the role of stressors, psychological distress, and stress hormones.

The authors investigated a large number of stressors and measures of psychological distress in a multicenter, prospective cohort study of spontaneous preterm birth among 5,337 Montreal (Canada)-area women who delivered from October 1999 to April 2004. In addition, a nested case-control analysis (207 cases, 444 controls) was used to explore potential biologic pathways by analyzing maternal plasma corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), placental histopathology, and (in a subset) maternal hair cortisol. Among the large number of stress and distress measures studied, only pregnancy-related anxiety was consistently and independently associated with spontaneous preterm birth (for values above the median, adjusted odds ratio = 1.8 (95% confidence interval: 1.3, 2.4)), with a dose-response relation across quartiles. The maternal plasma CRH concentration was significantly higher in cases than in…

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Effect of socioeconomic status and parents' education at birth on risk of schizophrenia in offspring.

Although it is known that schizophrenia is associated with social class, controversy exists as to the nature of this association. The authors studied the incidence of schizophrenia in relation to social class at birth in a population-based cohort of 88,829 offspring born in Jerusalem in 1964-1976. They constructed a six-point scale to index social class, based on paternal occupation at the time of birth, with each of 108 occupations being ranked by mean education. Cox proportional hazards methods were used in adjusting for sex, parents' ages, duration of marriage and birth order. Linkage with Israel's Psychiatric Registry identified 637 people admitted to psychiatric care facilities with schizophrenia-related diagnoses, before 1998. There was no gradient of risk for schizophrenia associated with social class at birth; however, offspring of fathers in the lowest social class showed a mode…

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Do older adults become more depressed with age in Taiwan? The role of social position and birth cohort.

Background: Depression is one of the most commonly encountered mental health problems during older adulthood. This study examines differences in depressive symptom trajectories among older Taiwanese adults across two birth cohorts (1920-1924 and 1925-1929), and explores the relationships between socioeconomic position (SEP) variables and symptom trajectories. Methods: Data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA) collected between 1989 and 2003 were analysed. The nationally representative sample is composed of community-living adults (n = 2458) in Taiwan aged 60 years and above. Two distinct domains of depressive symptomatology, negative affect and lack of positive affect, assessed by the short form of the Center of Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale were used for all the analyses. Growth curve models were employed to assess the trajectories of depressive symptoms…

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Psychological distress in long-term survivors of adult-onset cancer: results from a national survey.

Background: As advances in cancer screening and treatment increase the number of long-term cancer survivors, it is important to understand the long-term psychological sequelae of the cancer experience. Methods: The 4636 respondents who identified themselves as survivors of adult-onset cancer of 5 years or more and 122 220 respondents who were never diagnosed as having cancer were identified in the 2002 to 2006 National Health Interview Survey. The primary outcome in this population-based study was serious psychological distress (SPD) defined as a K6 scale (a validated screening tool for mental illness) score of 13 or more. Results: Among survivors, the median age at diagnosis was 50 years, the age at interview was 66 years, and the time since diagnosis was 12 years. The prevalence of SPD was significantly higher among long-term cancer survivors than among respondents who were never diagn…

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Outcomes of people with psychotic disorders in a community-based rehabilitation programme in rural India.

Background: There is little evidence of the feasibility, acceptability and impact of services for the care of people with psychotic disorders in low- and middle-income countries. Aims: To describe the scaling up and impact of a community-based rehabilitation programme for people with psychotic disorders in a very-low-resource setting. Methods: Longitudinal study of people with psychotic disorders who had been ill for an average of 8 years in a rural Indian community. All individuals received a community-based intervention package comprising psychotropic medications, psychoeducation, adherence management, psychosocial rehabilitation and support for livelihoods. The primary outcome was change in disability scores. Results: The cohort consisted of 256 people with psychotic disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychosis) of whom 236 people completed the end-point as…

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Does a national screening programme reduce socioeconomic inequalities in mammography use?

Objectives: To investigate possible changes in socioeconomic inequalities in mammography use among women aged 50-69 years between the start of the Belgian national screening programme in 2001 and three years later (2004), and to assess if the implementation of an organised screening programme has been successful in reducing socioeconomic inequalities in the uptake of mammography. Methods: Data was obtained from the 2001 and 2004 Health Interview Survey. Data were analysed by logistic regression with educational level as proxy for the socioeconomic status. The gradient of socioeconomic inequalities was estimated with the relative index of inequality. Results: Despite a substantial increase in the use of mammography from 59% in 2001 to 71% in 2004, a variation in the coverage according to educational level was detected: women with lower education were less likely to undergo mammography tha…

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A national review of mandibular orthognathic surgery activity in the National Health Service in England over a nine year period: part 2--patient factors.

We aimed to investigate patients who had mandibular orthognathic surgery in England for the period 1 April 1997-30 March 2006. Data on hospital inpatient activity were extracted from the NHS Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database for all mandibular orthognathic surgical procedures between these dates. Details of patients were investigated in relation to clinical details, socioeconomic status, other diagnoses, and clinical outcomes. Mandibular orthognathic operations were done for 8941 patients in England over the 9-year period, and the ratio of women: men was 1.7:1. The mean (SD) age at operation was 24 (9) years with no difference between sexes. There was a socioeconomic gradient in patients requesting treatment, most of whom lived in relatively affluent areas. The most common other diagnosis was "additional dentofacial anomalies" (8% of episodes). Mental or behavioural diagnoses we…

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The relative contributions of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, health, and social relationships to life satisfaction in the United States.

Purpose: To evaluate racial/ethnic disparities in life satisfaction and the relative contributions of socioeconomic status (SES; education, income, employment status, wealth), health, and social relationships (social ties, emotional support) to well-being within and across racial/ethnic groups. Methods: In two cross-sectional, representative samples of U.S. adults (the 2001 National Health Interview Survey and the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; combined n > 350,000), we compared life satisfaction across Whites, Hispanics, and Blacks. We also evaluated the extent to which SES, health, and social relationships 'explained' racial/ethnic group differences and compared the magnitude of variation explained by life satisfaction determinants across and within these groups. Results: Relative to Whites, both Blacks and Hispanics were less likely to be very satisfied. Blacks were …

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Transgender female youth and sex work: HIV risk and a comparison of life factors related to engagement in sex work.

This study examined the HIV risk behaviors and life experiences of 151 transgender female youth, ages 15-24, in Los Angeles and Chicago. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression modeling were used to identify life factors associated with ever having engaged in sex work. Sixty-seven percent of participants had ever engaged in sex work and 19% self-reported being HIV positive. Many factors were significantly associated with sex work for this sample population. A final multivariate logistic regression model found that lower education status, homelessness, use of street drugs, and perceived social support remained significantly associated with sex work when controlling for other factors. Findings highlight the complex HIV risk environment and suggest a need for sex work initiation research for transgender female youth. HIV prevention efforts for this population need to include broad-base…

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IQ, socioeconomic status, and early death: The US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.

Objective: To assess whether the association between cognitive ability (IQ) and early mortality is mediated by socioeconomic status (SES) or whether the association between SES and mortality reflects a spurious association caused by IQ. Methods: The participants were from the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (n = 11,321). IQ was assessed at age 16 to 23 years and the participants were followed up to 40 to 47 years of age. Results: Controlling for sex, birth year, race/ethnicity, baseline health, and parental education, higher IQ was associated with lower probability of death (odds ratio (OR) per 1-standard deviation increase in IQ = 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.66, 0.91). This association disappeared (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.81, 1.20) when adjusted for education and household income. Adjustment for IQ had no effect on the association between SES and mortality. These findi…

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Social support, life events, and psychological distress among the Puerto Rican population in the Boston area of the United States.

Objectives: The aim of this article is to investigate the role of social network support in ameliorating the psychological impact of life stressors that are prevalent for the older Puerto Rican population. Method: Social support was measured through the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire, and psychological distress through the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale. We describe the life stressors (Norbeck Life Events) faced by Puerto Ricans and their implications for psychological distress. We present associations between depression, perceived stress, social support, and socio-demographic indicators. The role of social network support-emotional and instrumental-in buffering the effect of negative events is examined. Attention is given to the interacting effect of gender and the type of support. Results: The analysis shows that dimensions of s…

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Social differences in breast cancer survival in relation to patient management within a National Health Care System (Sweden).

Epidemiologic studies have shown that cancer survival is poorer in low compared with high socioeconomic groups. We investigated whether these differences were associated with disparities in tumour characteristics and management. This cohort study was based on 9,908 women aged 20-79 years at diagnosis with primary breast cancer identified in a Swedish population-based clinical register. Information on socioeconomic standing was obtained from a social database. The 5-year cause-specific survival (CSS) and mortality hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models to assess differences in survival between socioeconomic groups while adjusting for diagnostic intensity, tumour characteristics and treatment. Following adjustment for age, year and stage at diagnosis, the risk of dying of breast cancer was 35% lower among women with high education compared with that of low educ…

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Psychosocial characteristics of women and men attending infertility counselling.

Background: Little is known about the psychosocial characteristics of infertile couples seeking psychological help. This study describes couples attending infertility counselling. Methods: Questionnaires pertaining to socio-demographic factors, motives for wanting a child, lay aetiology of their infertility, dimensions of life and partnership satisfaction, and a complaints list were completed by 974 women and 906 men. Of those who indicated an openness to counselling, almost half actually attended infertility counselling, and two groups, 'no counselling' (358 women and 292 male partners) and 'taking up counselling' (275 women and 243 male partners), were therefore compared. Results: More couples with stressful life events were found in the counselling group. For women taking up counselling, psychological distress, in the form of suffering from childlessness and depression as well as subj…

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