In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah [The Exalted] said:
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ
And no (moving) living creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (in the uterus, grave, etc.) All is in a Clear Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz – the Book of Decrees with Allah). [Surah Hud. Ayah 6]
Allah [The Exalted] said:
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنَ ٱلْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَتَ رَبِّكَ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُم مَّعِيشَتَهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَٰتٍ لِّيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا وَرَحْمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
And they said, “Why was this Qur’an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities?” Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of your Lord? It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in their work. But the Mercy (Paradise) of your Lord (O Muhammad) is better than the (wealth of this world) which they amass. [Surah Az-Zukhruf. Ayaat 31-32]
The French Mulhid said:
The first thing the French Mulhidoon should consider is that they have a Lord who has allotted provision for all living things on the earth until the day of judgement.
Second, the French Mulhid should follow the path established by our Lord in our dealings with the rich and the poor. Imaam As-Sadi [may Allah have mercy upon him] said: “People’s goals and policies on wealth and poverty differ due to their own interests and are not based on adherence to the truth and consideration of the broader public good. Because they did not follow the teachings of the Islamic religion, they all erred (and missed) the path that would lead to beneficial outcomes- their ideas differed, and they behaved accordingly, resulting in widespread evil and great strife between those claiming to support the poor and workers and those clinging to riches and wealth. They have a lengthy discussion on this subject, and all of it amounts to error and misguidance, and Allah has guided the believers to the right path in all of their affairs, including this one.
All praise is due to Allah; the Islamic Shari’ah came to rectify the rich and poor, and when Allah [The Exalted] decreed that individuals among humans and Jinn would have varied social statuses – among them the rich, the poor, the one with a high social standing, and the one with a lower social status – based on a great judgement and underlying reasons that are too precise to describe, He then established a strong relationship amongst them, with some given authority over others, mutual exchange established, and some in need of others. The All-Wise Law Giver – [The One completely Wise in everything He decrees, and completely Wise in His Sayings, and completely Wise in His Actions, and there is no deficiency in anything He decrees, says, or does] – first ordained that they be brothers and not to take personal advantage of each other; but rather He instructed each of them to fulfil what they owed to the other, so achieving social harmony and the necessities of life.
Islam obligated Zakat from the wealth of the rich based on what is stated regarding its details in the divine revelation. It made spending a means of meeting the needs of the poor and achieving religious well-being, which secures both worldly and religious affairs; encourages kind behaviour at all times and on all occasions, obligated to meet the needs of the needy, feeding the hungry, providing clothing for those without enough clothing, and paying for the necessities of the destitute. It also obligates specific expenditure on family and children, as well as on matters relating to their affairs, as well as the discharge of all obligations related to the mutual interactions that occur between people. Furthermore, Islam commanded them not to rely entirely on their strength and power in pursuing earnings, nor to regard what they possess as a source of (permanent) tranquillity and stability; instead, they should focus on obedience to Allah, acknowledge Allah’s favours, Allah’s facilitation of ease, seeking Allah’s assistance, and thanking Allah for the wealth and prosperity He has bestowed upon them over others.
Allah commanded them to stay within the confines of Halaal and Haraam, and not to overindulge in luxury and excess in a way that affects their morals, riches, and overall state of affairs, rather, they should do what Allah says in Surah Al-Furqan, Ayah 67: [والذين إذا أنفقوا لم يسرفوا ولم يقتروا وكان بين ذلك قواما – And those, who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes)].
Furthermore, Allah commanded them to pursue wealth and worldly things in an honourable and honest manner, so that they are not tainted with evil gains, such as usury, gambling, swindling, fraud, or deception; rather, they should adhere to the divine revelation’s ordainments in their dealings, just as they do in their personal acts of worship. And Allah commanded them to treat the poor with mercy and benevolence, rather than cruelty, harshness, selfishness, boastfulness, insolence, and pride. As a result of these wise instructions, religious well-being becomes the highest level of honour and perfection, and wealth acquires a praiseworthy description, a perfect attribute, sublimity, and loftiness, because the divine revelation refined and purified it, exhorts one to avoid vices, and urges one to acquire virtues (i.e. virtues mentioned in the divine revelation).
Islam commanded the poor and everyone else who fails to achieve their personal wish to be patient, accept Allah’s decree, acknowledge that Allah is All-Wise, possesses perfect judgement, and (All-Wise in) His disposal of all affairs and that there are various benefits in this (for a person). Allah stated:
وعسى أن تكرهوا شيئا وهو خير لكم وعسى أن تحبوا شيئا وهو شر لكم والله يعلم وأنتم لا تعلمون
And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know. [Surah Al-Baqarah. Ayah 216]
This belief of theirs removes the sadness that would have entered the hearts, leading to helplessness and sloth! Then Allah commanded them that they should not seek to alleviate their poverty and meet their needs by relying on others or asking them unless it is unavoidable and required, and that they use a variety of activities and means that Allah has provided as a means of eradicating poverty- each person preoccupied with the means that are best for oneself and their circumstances. This helps to release a person from total dependency, develops strength, promotes activity, and combats lethargy and apathy, but also not envy the wealthy because of what Allah has bestowed on them. Allah said:
ولا تتمنوا ما فضل الله به بعضكم على بعض للرجال نصيب مما اكتسبوا وللنساء نصيب مما اكتسبن واسألوا الله من فضله إن الله كان بكل شيء عليما
And covet not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others. For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned, and ask Allah for His Bounty. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything. [Surah An-Nisaa. Ayah 32]
Allah commanded them to be truthful in their work, dealings, and crafts, and not to rush in pursuing their livelihood by indulging in vile gains, which deprives a person of an upright adherence to the religion as well as corrupting worldly affairs. Allah commanded them to do two things that would help them while enduring the hardship of poverty: economise and be satisfied with what Allah has bestowed on them, (because) little sustenance combined with wise economisation (suffices) a lot. Contentment is an unlimited resource and richness without wealth! Many poor individuals are blessed with contentment and the ability to economise, neither pining for what the wealthy possess nor feeling bitter about their meagre sustenance. When poor people are guided by the guidance of the religion of Islam to exercise patience and attach themselves to Allah, freed from abject dependence, work hard and strive for honourable and beneficial deeds, and be satisfied with Allah’s grace, the burden and difficulty of poverty will be eased for them. Furthermore, they continue to work towards self-sufficiency (and to acquire more provision) while hoping for the bounty of their Lord, awaiting His promise and fearing Him.
Allah said:
ومن يتق الله يجعل له مخرجا ويرزقه من حيث لا يحتسب
And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
Allah said:
ومن يتوكل على الله فهو حسبه
And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. [Surah At-Talaaq. Ayaat 2-3] (1)
Third, we remind the French Mulhid what Shaikh Abu Khadeejah [may Allah preserve him] stated as follows: “According to biased and indoctrinated scientists, who are educated in Western universities and institutions funded by their governments and huge multi-national companies, another cause of poverty is population growth in countries that cannot afford to feed the extra mouths. This however is a false notion, since the world has enough farmland, resources, water, cattle, fish, and wild game to support entire nations and continents. The European colonialist powers spent many centuries (400 to 500 years) conquering Asia, Africa, the Far East, the Americas, and elsewhere, and they stripped the natural resources of those conquered lands – then they took the natural resources, wealth, and humans (as slaves), and built their industrial revolution on that plundered wealth on the back of wealth and human resource they pillaged unjustly from others. Today, when those nations wish to build their economies, strengthen their independence, increase their populations, and build their defenses in order to make their nations strong, they are prevented through international treaties related to health and social engineering, goods embargos, tariffs, climate-control measures, etc. Then they are told that they are poor because their nations have too many mouths to feed! The reality, however, is that the African continent and other regions across Allah’s world have enough land, fertile pastures, animals, mineral wealth, oil, gas, iron ore, copper, gold and silver, etc., to be able to feed employ and their nations”. https://abukhadeejah.com/the-causes-of-poverty-in-light-of-climate-change-population-growth-and-other-factors-part-ii-ethics-2-4/
Finally, we remind the French Mulhid that we should not make this worldly existence our primary preoccupation. Allah said:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُدۡخِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡہَـٰرُۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ وَيَأۡكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأۡكُلُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمُ وَٱلنَّارُ مَثۡوً۬ى لَّهُمۡ
Certainly! Allah will admit those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), while those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as cattle eat, and the Fire will be their abode. [Surah Muhammad. Ayah 12]
Meaning, they eat and are heedless of the consequences of their final affair (2); enjoy their worldly life and eat therein like animals, munching and gnawing (with overindulgence), whilst having no concern other than that (3); animals eat and drink, and they are not aware of tomorrow; likewise the disbeliever does not give thought to the Hereafter (4); their utmost concern is to enjoy themselves with the pleasures of this worldly life and its desires, so you find that both their apparent and hidden pursuits revolve around this. (5)
https://salaficentre.com/2022/03/20/three-traits-of-some-of-the-globalists-those-afflicted-with-an-intense-desire-for-control/
We ask Allah:
اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْراً لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْراً لِي، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الْحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْقَصْدَ فِي الْغِنَى وَالْفَقْرِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيماً لَا يَنْفَذُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضِا بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ فِي غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ، اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الْإِيمَانِ
وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ
O Allah! By Your Knowledge of the unseen and by Your Power over creation, let me live if life is good for me, and let me die if death is good for me; O Allah! I ask You to grant me (the blessing of having) fear of You in private and public, and I ask You (to make me utter) a statement of truth in times of contentment and anger, and I ask You for moderation when in a state of wealth and poverty, and I ask you for blessings that never ceases, and I ask You for the coolness of my eye that never ends, and I ask You (to make me pleased) after (Your) decree; Aand I ask You for a life of (ease, comfort, tranquillity etc) after death; I ask You for the delight of looking at Your Face (i.e. in the Hereafter) and yearning to meet You without any harm and misleading trials (coming upon me); O Allah! Adorn us with the adornment of Eemaan, and make us (from those who are) guided and guiding (others). (6)
To be continued InShaaAllah
[Ref 1: An Excerpt from Ad-Deenus Saheeh Yahillu Jamee al-Mashaakil (The right religion is the answer to every problem)-Pages 9-10. slightly paraphrased]
Ref 2: An Excerpt from Roohul Ma’aanee By Imaam Al-Aloosee.
Ref 3: An Excerpt from Al-Misbaah Al-Muneer Fee Tahdheeb Tafseer ibn Katheer
Ref 4: An Excerpt from Zaadul Maseer Fee Ilmit Tafseer By Imaam Ibnul Jawzi
Ref 5: An Excerpt from Tafseer As-Sadi
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