Despite the possibilities afforded by advances in technology,
poverty continues to be one of the major problems in the
world today. According to the report of the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization, for the year 2000,
826 million people are undernourished. |
It is well known that poverty is the lack of
food, shelter, clothing, health services, and the other basic
needs, due to a low level of income. Despite the possibilities
afforded by advanced technology, poverty is today one of the
most serious problems the world faces. In Africa, Asia, South
America and Eastern Europe, many people live with hunger every
day. Imperialism and unrestrained capitalism has prevented
the distribution of income throughout the world and the advancement
of under-developed and developing countries. While there is
a happy minority that has more than it needs, there are a
considerable number of people struggling with the problems
of poverty and destitution.
In the world today, poverty has reached grave
proportions. The last report by UNICEF stated that one in
four people of the world’s population lives in “unimaginable
suffering and want.”12 1.3
billion of the world’s people survive on less than $1
a day. 3 billion people in the world today struggle to survive
on $2 a day.13 Approximately 1.3
billion people lack safe water. 2.6 billion people are without
access to adequate sanitation.14
According to the report by the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), for the year 2000,
826 million people around the world do not get enough to eat.
In other words, one in six people are hungry.15
Over the last ten years, the injustice of income
distribution has increased more than one can imagine. United
Nations reports show that, in 1960, the 20% of the people
of the world who live in the richest countries had 30 times
the income of the poorest 20; by 1995 it was 82 times.16
As an example of the collapse of social justice, the wealth
of the world’s 225 richest individuals is equal to the
annual income of the poorest 47%.17
The basic reason for social injustice and its consequent
gap between the rich and the poor is that the moral teaching
of the Qur’an is not followed. |
The current statistical data point to what the
Prophet (saas) said about the increase of poverty. In the
hadiths, it is revealed that poverty and hunger will be among
the signs of the first period of the End Times.
|
Those of you possessing
affluence and ample wealth should not make oaths that
they will not give to their relatives and the very poor
and those who are refugees in the way of Allah. They should
rather pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to
forgive you? Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(Surat an-Nur: 22) |
Obviously, that period indicated by the
Prophet (saas) describes conditions in our day. If we look
at past centuries, we see that the difficulties and anxiety
brought about by drought, war and other calamities were temporary
and limited to a particular region. However, today, the poverty
and difficulty of earning a living are permanent and endemic.
Certainly, our Lord has endless compassion and mercy; He does
not wrong people. But, because of the ungratefulness of humanity,
and the evil it has committed, poverty and anxiety have been
institutionalized. Indeed, this sorry state of affairs shows
clearly that the world is stratified on a basis of selfishness
and greed rather than on religion, moral values and conscience.
12. UNICEF, “Children and
Poverty: Key Facts”, 2000 (http://www.unicef.org/copenhagen5/
factsheets.htm)
13. Manufacturing Dissent, “World Statistics –
The Rich and the Poor”, 1999, http://www.reagan.com/HotTopics.main/HotMike/document-8.13.1999.6.html
14. UNICEF, "Children and Poverty: Key Facts", 2000,
http://www.unicef.org/copenhagen5/ factsheets.htm
15. FAO, “The state of food insecurity in the world”,
2000, http:www.fao.org/FOCUS/E/ SOFI00/sofi001-e.htm
16. Human Development Report 1998, United Nations Development
Programme, New York, September 1998- www.oneworld.org/ni/issue310/facts.htm
17. Manufacturing Dissent, “World Statistics –
Rich and Poor”, 1999, http://www.reagan.com/ HotTopics.main/HotMike/document-8.13.1999.6.html
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