Distribution Of Free Food Program

Ending Poverty

“And you do not encourage one another to feed the poor.” (Qur’an, 89:18)

There are so many modern ways to end poverty. I really believe there is enough man-power, resources and the all-important funding (you know, moolah) to end poverty the world over. But for personal and political reasons, we might donate £5/$5, give our Islamic “tax” (zakat) to a charity once a year, and think that’s enough. It is good, but it is not enough.
I hear so many apologies from Muslims like ‘you can only give to Islamic charities’ and ’donate to the masjid first’ but that’s phoney etiquette. In the order of priorities under the Islamic social system, human life comes first, then preserving faith and then community. These principles overlap so that you cannot have one complete without the other.
Many orphans around the world are waiting for a kind person to sponsor them.

“No! But you do not honor the orphan.” (Qur’an, 89:17)

Honoring orphans? An orphan is without a father to financially support him/her. By giving a monthly amount you improve the lifestyle of a young person, you give a life. You also raise their status because you’re sponsoring their education, their food, their home. Without your provision another child potentially dies. God is saying that most people do not really care. Remember those priorities: Life.
An educated child has more opportunities so God exclaims, honour them! And remember the saying (Hadith) of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, that anyone who supports an orphan will live in close proximity to him, in heaven.
Another point in poverty, inheritance. Endless troubles are created because people who don’t understand the Islamic inheritance laws fight over who gets what. This is ‘unIslamic’, leading to more social inequity. God tells believers to discard the love of wealth and to be fair in giving people their due,

“[But] you consume inheritance, devouring [it] altogether,” (Qur’an 89:17).

Action plan – Some of the ways to end poverty

• You could set up a standing order to your local charity
• Ask your masjid to give one month’s donations to the poorest in your neighborhood
• Sponsor an orphan – if you want to know how please comment
• Start a ‘buddy’ system where you ‘babysit’ an impoverished teen for a month
• Petition your local council repeatedly to support and house the homeless-they are not a burden; you can do this anonymously

In Islam charity is prioritized to the most needy and the closest. If there is a single mum on your street who can’t pay for her weekly shop, that is where you donation should be headed. If a child you know lives below the standard, can’t afford school supplies or can’t even pay for school dinners, that is your obligation too. So you see, ending poverty globally is a challenge that can be done, but keep looking to your own neighborhoods first.