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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Elder abuse: a systematic review of risk factors in community-dwelling elders.: Objective: to undertake a systematic literature review of risk factors for abuse in community-dwelling elders, as a first step towards exploring the clinical utility of a risk factor framework. Search strategy and selection criteria: a search was undertaken using the MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases for articles published in English up to March 2011, to identify original studies with statistically significant risk factors for abuse in community-dwelling elders. Studies concerning s

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

Coping resources, perceived stress and adjustment to divorce among Israeli women: assessing effects.

The aim of this study was to examine how socioeconomic resources (level of education and evaluation of economic situation), cognitive resources (sense of coherence), emotional resources (the quality of relationship with the ex-spouse and the existence of a new romantic relationship), and perceived stress contribute to explaining the adjustment of Israeli women to divorce. Adjustment to divorce was examined along four dimensions: self-acceptance of divorce, disentanglement of the love relationship, symptoms of grief, and self-evaluation. The research sample consisted of 114 divorced Jewish women, all of whom had retained custody of their children. Among the resources examined, the contribution of sense of coherence to explaining adjustment to divorce was particularly significant, followed by the existence of a new romantic relationship. Furthermore, resources were found to interact with p…

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Health behaviours, socioeconomic status, and mortality: further analyses of the British Whitehall II and the French GAZEL prospective cohorts.

Background: Differences in morbidity and mortality between socioeconomic groups constitute one of the most consistent findings of epidemiologic research. However, research on social inequalities in health has yet to provide a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying this association. In recent analysis, we showed health behaviours, assessed longitudinally over the follow-up, to explain a major proportion of the association of socioeconomic status (SES) with mortality in the British Whitehall II study. However, whether health behaviours are equally important mediators of the SES-mortality association in different cultural settings remains unknown. In the present paper, we examine this issue in Whitehall II and another prospective European cohort, the French GAZEL study. Methods and findings: We included 9,771 participants from the Whitehall II study and 17,760 from the GAZ…

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Socioeconomic status and health-related quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is an important determinant of health and premature death. However, the impact of poor SES on the health status of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been well determined. Objective: It was our aim to assess the impact of SES on the quality of life in COPD patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, multicenter study. A total of 4,574 patients completed the EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) and the Airways Questionnaire 20 (AQ20). SES was based on the subject's occupation and educational level. Occupational categories were based on the major group classification of the International Standard Classification of Occupations. Results: The mean age of the population was 67.1 years and the mean forced expiratory volume was 43.4%. There was a gradient of impairment in health-related quality of life …

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Rates of depression and anxiety in urban and rural Canada.

Background: Studies of urban-rural differences in rates of non-psychotic psychiatric disorders have produced contradictory results, with some finding higher urban rates and others no difference. Aims: This study aimed to compare geographic variability of rates of depression and three anxiety disorders in a large, random community sample of Canadian residents. Method: Data from the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey 1.2 were analyzed, using a four-category classification of urban-rurality. Results: Significant bivariate urban-rural differences were found for age, marital status, country of birth, ethnicity, education, household income, income adequacy, employment, home ownership, physical activity, perceived stress, and physical health. In addition, participants in the urban core and urban fringe had a weaker sense of belonging to their community and reported lower social support. Ther…

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Racial differences in end-of-life planning: why don't Blacks and Latinos prepare for the inevitable?.

I evaluate the extent to which ethnic disparities in advance care planning reflect cultural and religious attitudes and experience with the painful deaths of loved ones. Data are from a sample of 293 chronically ill older adults who are seeking care at one of two large medical centers in urban New Jersey. Blacks and Hispanics are significantly less likely than Whites to have a living will, a durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC), and to have discussed their end of life treatment preferences. Multivariate analyses reveal that the Black-White gap in advance care planning is largely accounted for by Blacks' belief that God controls the timing and nature of death. The Hispanic-White gap is partially accounted for by the belief that one's illness negatively affects one's family. Ethnic disparities are starkest for living will and DPAHC use, and less pronounced for discussions. Imp…

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Mental well-being and mental illness: findings from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey for England 2007.

Background: Mental well-being underpins many aspects of health and social functioning, and is economically important. Aims: To describe mental well-being in a general population sample and to determine the extent to which mental well-being and mental illness are independent of one another. Method: Secondary analysis of a survey of 7293 adults in England. Nine survey questions were identified as possible indicators of mental well-being. Common mental disorders (ICD-10) were ascertained using the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R). Principal components analysis was used to describe the factor structure of mental well-being and to generate mental well-being indicators. Results: A two-factor solution found eight out of nine items with strong loadings on well-being. Eight items corresponding to hedonic and eudaemonic well-being accounted for 36.9% and 14.3% of total variance respecti…

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Neighborhood stressors and race/ethnic differences in hypertension prevalence (the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

Background: The reasons for racial/ethnic disparities in hypertension (HTN) prevalence in the United States are poorly understood. Methods: Using data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), we investigated whether individual- and neighborhood-level chronic stressors contribute to these disparities in cross-sectional analyses. The sample consisted of 2,679 MESA participants (45-84 years) residing in Baltimore, New York, and North Carolina. HTN was defined as systolic or diastolic blood pressure ≥140 or 90 mm Hg, or taking antihypertensive medications. Individual-level chronic stress was measured by self-reported chronic burden and perceived major and everyday discrimination. A measure of neighborhood (census tract) chronic stressors (i.e., physical disorder, violence) was developed using data from a telephone survey conducted with other residents of MESA neighborhoods. Bin…

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Comparing social determinants of self-rated health across the United States and Canada.

A large body of research shows that social determinants of health have significant impact on the health of Canadians and Americans. Yet, very few studies have directly compared the extent to which social factors are associated with health in the two countries, in large part due to the historical lack of comparable cross-national data. This study examines differences in the effect of a wide-range of social determinants on self-rated health across the two populations using data explicitly designed to facilitate comparative health research-Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health. The results show that: 1) sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors have substantial effects on health in each country, though the size of the effects tends to differ-gender, nativity, and race are stronger predictors of health among Americans while the effects of age and marital status on health are much larg…

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Heritability of delay discounting in adolescence: a longitudinal twin study.

Delay discounting (DD) refers to the preference for smaller immediate rewards over larger but delayed rewards, and is considered to be a distinct component of a broader "impulsivity" construct. Although greater propensity for discounting the value of delayed gratification has been associated with a range of problem behaviors and substance abuse, particularly in adolescents, the origins of individual differences in DD remain unclear. We examined genetic and environmental influences on a real-life behavioral measure of DD using a longitudinal twin design. Adolescent participants were asked to choose between a smaller ($7) reward available immediately and a larger ($10) reward to be received in 7 days. Biometrical genetic analysis using linear structural equation modeling showed significant heritability of DD at ages 12 and 14 (30 and 51%, respectively) and suggested that the same genetic f…

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Erectile dysfunction and correlated factors in Brazilian men aged 18-40 years.

Introduction: Few population-based studies in erectile dysfunction (ED) included subjects less than 40 years old and analyzed the several factors and consequences potentially associated with this condition. Aim: Evaluation of the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and associated factors in a sample of Brazilian men aged 18 to 40 years old. Methods: Cross-sectional study in which subjects were contacted in public places of 18 major Brazilian cities and interviewed using an anonymous questionnaire. Survey data were submitted to chi-squared, student's t-test and logistic regression analyses. Main outcome measures: The data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire with 87 questions about sociodemographic variables, general health, habits and lifestyle-related factors, sexual behavior and sexual difficulties, including ED which was assessed by a single question. Resul…

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Comparison of factors contributing to developmental attainment of children between 9 and 18 months.

Background: Little is known about how contributing factors of development change during early childhood in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that contributed to the developmental attainment of children between 9 and 18 months of age using prospective longitudinal data from a developmental cohort study. Methods: We used data from observations at 3 time points (at infant age of 4, 9 and 18 months) in the Japan Children's Study. Mothers were administered questionnaires that requested information about their child's perinatal outcomes, temperament, family structure, family income, parental education, parenting stress, and child-rearing environment at home. At 9 and 18 months, mothers completed the Kinder Infant Development Scale to evaluate their child's development. Results: A total of 284 children were available for analysis. Female children and children having si…

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Prevalence and related influencing factors of depressive symptoms for empty-nest elderly living in the rural area of YongZhou, China.

The number of empty-nest elderly is on the rise, especially in rural areas of China. The empty-nest elderly were concerned from social and demographic perspective, but researches on mental health issues of the aged were still rare in China. To clarify the prevalence of depression among empty-nest elderly in a rural area of YongZhou, Hunan and evaluate the impact of social support, coping style and socio-demographic factors on depression of the empty-nest elderly, with the goal of decreasing the rate of depression in empty-nest elderly, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 415 elderly persons. The determined prevalence of depressive symptoms was 74.46%. The empty-nest group, in comparison with the non-empty nest group, had higher levels of depression. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed associations between depressive symptoms and negative coping style, support utilization, …

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Socioeconomic and race/ethnic differences in daily salivary cortisol profiles: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.

It has often been hypothesized that stress and its biological consequences mediate the relationship between low socioeconomic status (SES) or minority status and poor cardiovascular disease outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine if daily cortisol patterns, a biomarker of the stress response, differ by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Data were collected from 935 Black, White and Hispanic adults age 48-90 years old. Salivary cortisol samples were collected six times per day over 3 days: at awakening, 30min later, at 1000h, noon, 1800h and at bedtime. Blacks and Hispanics had lower levels of wake-up cortisol and less steep early declines, while Blacks had flatter and Hispanics steeper late day declines relative to Whites. Similarly the low socioeconomic status group also had lower levels of wake-up cortisol and less steep decline during the early part of the day. Th…

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Psychometric testing of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form in a sample of Black women in the United States.

The benefits of breastfeeding increase with duration and exclusivity, but significant racial disparities exist in breastfeeding rates. Breastfeeding self-efficacy, as measured by the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale Short-Form (BSES-SF), is a significant predictor of breastfeeding outcomes in diverse samples. The purpose of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the BSES-SF in Black women in the US. The psychometric characteristics were consistent with previous studies, including internal consistency, comparison with contrasted groups, and correlation with the construct of breastfeeding network support. Breastfeeding self-efficacy significantly predicted breastfeeding at 4 and 24 weeks postpartum. The results are consistent with previous research, and they suggest the BSES-SF could be used to identify women at risk for prematurely discontinuing breastfeeding.

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Divorce, divorce rates, and professional care seeking for mental health problems in Europe: a cross-sectional population-based study.

Background: Little is known about differences in professional care seeking based on marital status. The few existing studies show more professional care seeking among the divorced or separated compared to the married or cohabiting. The aim of this study is to determine whether, in a sample of the European general population, the divorced or separated seek more professional mental health care than the married or cohabiting, regardless of self-reported mental health problems. Furthermore, we examine whether two country-level features--the supply of mental health professionals and the country-level divorce rates--contribute to marital status differences in professional care-seeking behavior. Methods: We use data from the Eurobarometer 248 on mental well-being that was collected via telephone interviews. The unweighted sample includes 27,146 respondents (11,728 men and 15,418 women). Poisson…

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Gender differences in depression in 23 European countries. Cross-national variation in the gender gap in depression.

One of the most consistent findings in the social epidemiology of mental health is the gender gap in depression. Depression is approximately twice as prevalent among women as it is among men. However, the absence of comparable data hampers cross-national comparisons of the prevalence of depression in general populations. Using information about the frequency and severity of depressive symptoms from the third wave of the European Social Survey (ESS-3), we are able to fill the gap the absence of comparable data leaves. In the ESS-3, depression is measured with an eight-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale. In the current study, we examine depression among men and women aged 18-75 in 23 European countries. Our results indicate that women report higher levels of depression than men do in all countries, but there is significant cross-national variation in th…

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Descriptive epidemiology of stigma against depression in a general population sample in Alberta.

Background: Mental health illnesses, such as depression, are responsible for a growing disease burden worldwide. Unfortunately, effective treatment is often impeded by stigmatizing attitudes of other individuals, which have been found to lead to a number of negative consequences including reduced help-seeking behavior and increased social distance. Despite the high prevalence of depression in Canada, little research has been conducted to examine stigma against depression in the Canadian general population. Such information is crucial to understanding the current state of stigmatizing attitudes in the Canadian communities, and framing future stigma reduction initiatives. The objectives of this study were to estimate the percentages of various stigmatizing attitudes toward depression in a general population sample and to compare the percentages by demographics and socioeconomic characteris…

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Comparing maternal and paternal intergenerational transmission of obesity risk in a large population-based sample.

Background: Previous research showed childhood obesity to be more strongly associated with maternal weight than with paternal weight. However, confidence in this finding is limited by the lack of objectively measured data from both parents. Objective: We quantified the individual and combined effects of maternal and paternal overweight/obesity on obesity risk in children. Design: Data were pooled from the annual Health Surveys for England carried out between 2001 and 2006. Families with < or =2 children aged 2-15 y with anthropometric data available for both parents and children were included (n = 4432 families, n = 7078 children). Weights and heights were measured by a trained nurse. Results: Having 2 overweight parents was associated with an increased risk of child obesity [odds ratio (OR): 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3, 3.7; P < 0.001] compared with having 2 normal-weight parents. Having 2 obese (…

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Exploring the association between posttraumatic growth and PTSD: a national study of Jews and Arabs following the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah war.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG)-deriving benefits following potentially traumatic events-has become a topic of increasing interest. We examined factors that were related to self-reported PTG, and the relationship between PTG and symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTS) following the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah. Drawing from a national random sample of Israel, data from 806 terrorism-exposed Israeli adults were analyzed. PTG was associated with being female, lower education, greater recent terrorism exposure, greater loss of psychosocial resources, greater social support, and greater self-efficacy. PTG was a consistent predictor of PTS across hierarchical linear regression models that tested whether demographic, stress, or personal resources moderated the relationship between PTG and PTS. PTG did not relate to PTS differently for people who differed by age, sex, ethnicity, education, religiosity, deg…

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Perceived stigma among individuals with common mental disorders.

Background: Severe mental disorders are associated with social distance from the general population, but there is lack of data on the stigma reported by individuals with common mental disorders. Aims: To identify the correlates and the impact of stigma among individuals with common mental disorders. Methods: Cross-sectional, household interview survey of 8796 representing the non-institutionalized adults of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Two perceived stigma questions (embarrassment and discrimination) were asked to respondents with significant disability. Health-related quality of life measured by the SF-12, work and activity limitation and social limitation were also assessed. Results: Among the 815 participants with a 12-month mental disorder and significant disability, 14.8% had perceived stigma. Stigma was significantly associated with low education, bei…

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Neighborhood-level cohesion and disorder: measurement and validation in two older adult urban populations.

Objectives: Drawing from collective efficacy and social disorganization theories, we developed and validated measures of neighborhood-level social processes. Methods: Data came from 2 large, population-based cohort studies of urban-dwelling older adults, the Chicago Neighborhood and Disability Study (CNDS, n = 3,882) and the Baltimore Memory Study (BMS, n = 1,140). Data on neighborhood social processes were collected from residents using a standardized instrument identical in the 2 studies. We used confirmatory factor analysis and descriptive statistics to explore reliability and validity of the neighborhood-level measures. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis indicated 2 latent factors: social cohesion and exchange (i.e., observations of and interactions with neighbors) and social and physical disorder (i.e., neighborhood problems and unsafe conditions). Neighborhood-level measures of …

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Social capital and health in rural and urban communities in South Australia.

Objective: This paper seeks to compare the relationships between social capital and health for rural and urban residents of South Australia. Methods: Using data from a South Australian telephone survey of 2,013 respondents (1,402 urban and 611 rural), separate path analyses for the rural and urban samples were used to compare the relationships between six social capital measures, six demographic variables, and mental and physical health (measured by the SF-12). Results: Higher levels of networks, civic participation and cohesion were reported in rural areas. Education and income were consistently linked with social capital variables for both rural and urban participants, with those on higher incomes and with higher educational achievement having higher levels of social capital. However, there were also differences between the rural and urban groups in some of the other predictors of soci…

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To what extent does socioeconomic status explain differences in health between Roma and non-Roma adolescents in Slovakia?

The Roma make up one of the largest ethnic groups in Europe. The few studies that are available report health among the Roma as considerably worse than that of the majority population, and virtually nothing is known about the health status of Roma adolescents. The purpose of this study was to compare the self-reported health outcomes of Roma adolescents living in Roma settlements with adolescents from the majority population and to assess the impact of socioeconomic status on the results obtained. We conducted a survey among Roma adolescents (N=330, mean age=14.5) and non-Roma adolescents (N=722, mean age=14.9) living in eastern Slovakia. We gathered data on sociodemographic position, self-rated health (using the SF-36), the occurrence of accidents and injuries during the past year, healthcare utilization during the past year, health complaints, mental health and social desirability. Rom…

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Olive oil and cognition: results from the three-city study.

Background: Olive oil is a major component of the Mediterranean diet suggested to be beneficial to counteract Alzheimer's disease. Aim of the study: Our objective was to examine the association between olive oil use, cognitive deficit and cognitive decline in a large elderly population. Methods: We followed 6,947 subjects with a brief baseline food frequency questionnaire and repeated cognitive tests. Olive oil intake was categorized as none (22.7%), moderate (use for cooking or dressing, 39.9%) and intensive (use for both cooking and dressing, 37.4%). Associations between olive oil and cognitive outcomes were examined taking into account socio-economic factors, health behaviors, health measures and other dietary intakes. Results: Participants with moderate or intensive use of olive oil compared to those who never used olive oil showed lower odds of cognitive deficit for verbal fluency a…

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Prosocial development from childhood to adolescence: a multi-informant perspective with Canadian and Italian longitudinal studies.

Objectives: To longitudinally describe prosocial behaviour development from childhood to adolescence, using multiple informants within Canadian and Italian samples. Method: Participants in Study 1 were 1037 boys from low socioeconomic status (SES) areas in Montreal, Canada, for whom yearly teacher and mother reports were obtained between the ages of 10 and 15. Participants in Study 2 were 472 children (209 girls) from Genzano, Italy, for whom yearly self and teacher reports were obtained between the ages of 10 and 14. Developmental trajectories were estimated from ratings by each informant to identify subgroups of children following distinct courses of prosocial development. Results: In Study 1, three trajectory groups (low/declining 53%, high/declining 16%, high/steep declining 31%) were identified from teacher ratings, while five trajectories (low/stable 7%, low/declining 19%, moderate…

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