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Old Wednesday, August 24, 2005
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First egalitarian creed

By Jafar Wafa


ISLAM, unlike some superstitious religions, introduced egalitarian creeds focussing on the uplift of society by ameliorating the lot of the slaves, the orphans and the poor as a first step to the ennoblement of human life.

God’s worship (Salat) for reward in after-life was emphasized in tandem with spending for noble causes (Zakat) to alleviate poverty and mitigate economic distress faced by the marginalized sections of society where traditions of authority and hierarchy under a tribal system prevailed and no thought was given to emancipating the down-trodden.

The very first chapter of the Holy Quran Surah Al-Baqra which follows the short, seven-verse “opening” Surah — enumerates the categories of those pious persons who can receive guidance from the Book and includes those “who spend from what has been bestowed upon them.”

To spend does not mean only paying the obligatory Zakat, as has generally been interpreted by most of the exegessists (mufassirin). Just as the verse in question does not specify the term ‘what has been bestowed upon them’ — agricultural land, urban property, jewellery, or cash — likewise the Ayat does not particularize how and how much out of the belongings of a person have to be spent on ‘Khair’, or good causes.

It is in chapter 70 that the Quran depicts the fate of those who, in their life-time, sat on piles of wealth but did not spend it for their own benefit or for the good of society contrasting them with others who were not only mindful of prayers but also of spending their money for charitable purposes. It says that those who deserve a place in hell will be the ones “who hoarded wealth and withheld it” unlike their generous counterparts who will dwell in ‘honoured gardens’ as they were not only constant in their worship but also realized that in their wealth there was an ‘acknowledged right for the beggar and the destitute’ (Ayat 15- 25).

The Quran exhorts the believers, repeatedly, to spend (Anfaque) and give (Eeta): “Spend out of what has been provided to you before death comes to you” (63:11). Spend not for ostentatious consumerism or for flaunting wealth, as no sane person will give such an advice, let alone a religious scripture. Spending has been defined in the Quran as the opposite of hoarding. One of the worst persons in the sight of Allah is that “who has amassed wealth and arranged it, (after counting the coins and currency notes) thinking that his wealth will render him immortal” (104:2-3).

Such are the persons “who do not respect the orphan, nor urge on the feeding of the poor, devour heritages with devouring greed and love money with abounding love” (89:17-20). Another pen- picture of the hoarder who is loath to spend money or even give some one articles of paltry worth: “Although he wants to be seen praying yet he refuses even small kindnesses” (almaoon).

Nothing has been left to imagination. So complete is the description of those who give and spend that if one were to make a list of the relevant verses of the Quran on this subject, the effort will result in compilation of a book containing explanatory notes and contextual information regarding each revelation. That book will begin with a categorical declaration of the Almighty: “you will not attain unto piety until you spend out of that which you love and covet most” (3:92).

Who are such persons who take heed of this Divine statement and do all in their power to be counted as pious men and women, not by the multitude of men and women on earth, but by the almighty himself? They are the ones “who spend in ease and in diversity” (3.134). That is, not only when they have plenty of money to spare for charity (although it is commendable indeed) but also when they are in financial straits and find it difficult to meet their own and their family’s dire needs. The reward from the Lord is beyond imagination.

Then comes another description of such generosity: “They spend secretly and openly” (13:22). No harm in making public your donations to charitable or poverty-alleviation projects. That might induce others to donate generously. But even generosity should follow the age-old principle of ‘golden mean’, its modern version may be ‘enlightened moderation’. The Divine endorsement of this principle comes in these words:” When they spend, they are neither prodigal nor grudging but take a firm position between the two extremes” (25:67). This is, obviously, to check excess and disproportion, in this case too as in all cases, to bring about harmony between extremes of stinginess and prodigality.

The Quran asks the reader to imagine that he, or she, is standing in a valley (Aqaba) or a gorge in a mountainous terrain and to get out of it and climb up to the summit is a forbidding task. The suggested course to “ascend is to free a slave, to feed the hungry — maybe an orphan or near of kin or some poor wretch in misery” (90:12 16).

Those who heard these inspired verses from the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) developed a soft corner for the slaves particularly and the poor folk generally. His close and respected companion, Hazrat Abu Zar Ghaffari, was so moved by these verses that he inclined towards Islam’s ‘socialistic’ programme and led an austere life and shunned the sight of affluence and ostentation displayed by the privileged minority contrasted with poverty and penury of the majority.

He retired into the privacy of his modest home. When he went to Syria after its conquest in Caliph Umar’s time, he could not stay there because he could not reconcile his understanding of Islam with the luxurious life in Roman fashion. Not that he was alone to feel that way. The reigning Caliph himself is reported to have uttered the famous words that he as a ruler would be accountable to Allah if even a stray dog died of hunger on the bank of a Mesopotamian river.

Even those who did not hear the Quranic verses from the holy Prophet himself but have read the inspired text in the printed copies of the Holy Book are moved like the revered Companions of the Prophet. Maulana Hasrat Mohani is one such person of our times — a devout Muslim, praying and fasting and leading an austere life.

A word of caution here. Socialism should not be confused with atheistic Marxism, which Allama Iqbal called, derisively, as ‘musawaat-i-shikam’ or equality of stomachs in Javed Nama. The fact is that in today’s environment, no one will tolerate compulsory, regimented equality. The collapse of

the Soviet system is the proof, if a proof is needed.

It may be appropriate to quote Plato’s remarkably valid remark appearing in his seminal work, The Republic, that “every form of government tends to perish by an excess of its basic principle.” So, let us alleviate poverty in our country through citizens’ combined effort, as the Quran visualises — every moneyed person contributing money, muscle and mind “to ascend the summit.” It need not be left to the government alone.
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Adil Memon
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