Marife Turkish Journal of Religious Studies

Abstract

Poverty is a social reality for the human beings throughout the history.
The historical events also show that poverty has been a major factor affecting the
social life. This article examines how ‘poverty’ is conceived in the fundamental
sources of Islam, in what ways and forms it was practiced in the traditional Islam,
and how it affected the Muslims in the history. Islam does not see poverty as a
desirable virtue, but it accepts it as a serious problem and urges people to safeguard
from its hardships. Islam at the same time proposes various solutions of
this problem within society. In this context, Muslims are encouraged to seek
wealth, for it is one of the blessings of God. The authentic hadiths of the Prophet
Muhammad also consider poverty a threat to society, and therefore it must be
eliminated. However, the representatives of the Islamic mysticism, fearing that
wealth may take people away from the activities pleasing God and from leading a
virtuous life, see poverty as a blessing of God. Unfortunately, this view of the
Sufis has been misunderstood by many Muslims and it has affected them along
with their countries very negatively. Therefore, this article will try to investigate
the real dimension of poverty and prosperity in the light of the authentic Islamic
sources.