إن من القواعد العامة في الإسلام، أن المال مال الله والناس مستخلفون فيه، وألا تكون الأموال دُولة بين الأغنياء، ويَمنع الإسلام كنز المال بدون إنفاق نسبة بسيطة منه للفقراء والمساكين عن طريق الزكاة، وهي عبادة تساعد الإنسان على تغليب صفات البذل والعطاء على نوازع الشح والبخل.
One of the general rules of Islam states that wealth belongs to Allah and people are entrusted with it and that wealth must not circulate only among the rich. Islam forbids the act of hoarding wealth without giving the poor and the needy a small share of it through Zakah, which is an act of worship that helps man give preponderance to sacrifice and giving out over stinginess and miserliness.
قال الله تعالى:
Allah Almighty said:
" مَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَىٰ فَلِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ كَيْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةً بَيْنَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ "[184]. (الحشر: 7).
{Whatever gains Allah has bestowed upon His Messenger from the people of the towns belongs to Allah and the Messenger, and to his close relatives, orphans, the needy, and stranded wayfarers, so that wealth should not circulate only among those of you who are rich. Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.} [184] Surat al-Hashr: 7.
" آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَأَنفِقُوا مِمَّا جَعَلَكُم مُّسْتَخْلَفِينَ فِيهِ ۖ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَأَنفَقُوا لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ"[185]. (الحديد: 7).
{Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and spend [in Allah’s cause] out of what He has entrusted you with. For those among you who believe and spend, there will be a great reward.} [185] Surat al-Hadīd: 7.
"...الَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ " [186]. (التوبة:34).
{...Those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, give them tidings of a painful punishment.} [186] Surat at-Tawbah: 34.
وكما ويحث الإسلام على العمل لكل قادر.
Also Islam encourages all people, who are able, to work.
قال الله تعالى:
Allah Almighty said:
" هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِن رِّزْقِهِ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ "[187]. (الملك: 15).
{It is He Who made the earth smooth for you, so travel through its regions and eat from His provisions. And to Him is the resurrection.} [187] Surat al-Mulk: 15.
فالإسلام دين عمل في الواقع، والله سبحانه وتعالى يأمرنا بالتوكل وليس بالتواكل، فالتوكل يقتضي العزم وبذل الطاقة والأخذ بالأسباب، ثم التسليم بعد ذلك لقضاء الله وحُكمه.
Islam, in reality, is a religion that appreciates work and Allah Almighty commands us to adopt Tawakkul (reliance on Allah) rather than Tawākul (to depend on Allah inactively). Tawakkul requires determination, diligence, and utilization of the available means, followed by submission to the decree and judgment of Allah.
والنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لمن أراد أن يترك ناقته سائبة توكلاً على الله:
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to the one who wanted to leave his she-camel loose as an expression of his reliance on Allah:
" اعقِلْها وتَوكَّلْ" [188]. (صحيح الترمذي).
"Tie it up and then rely (on Allah)." [188] "Sahīh at-Tirmidhi".
وبهذا يكون المسلم قد حقق التوازن المطلوب.
This is how the Muslim achieves the required balance.
وحرَّم الإسلام الإسراف وارتفع بمستوى الأفراد لضبط مستوى المعيشة، على أن مفهوم الإسلام للغِنى ليس تلبية للحاجات الضرورية فقط بل أن يملك الإنسان ما يأكل ويلبس ويسكن ويتزوج ويحج ويتصدق أيضًا.
Islam has forbidden extravagance and has raised the individuals' level to control the standard of livelihood. However, it should be noted that richness in Islam does not just mean the fulfillment of essential needs; rather, it means possessing food, clothes, habitation, and the necessary means to get married, perform Hajj, and give charity as well.
قال الله تعالى:
Allah Almighty said:
"وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنْفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ قَوَامًا" [189]. (الفرقان: 67).
{And those who neither spend wastefully nor stingily, but are moderate between them.} [189] Surat al-Furqān: 67.
فالفقير في نظر الإسلام هو من لم يظفر بمستوى من المعيشة ما يمكِّنه من إشباع حاجاته الضرورية وحسب مستوى المعيشة في بلده، وبقدر ما يتسع مستوى المعيشة يتسع المدلول الواقعي للفقر، فإذا كان المتعارف عليه في مجتمع ما حيازة كل عائلة على منزل مستقل بها مثلاً، أصبح عدم حصول أسرة معينة على منزل مستقل بها يُعتبر لونًا من ألوان الفقر، وعلى هذا فالتوازن يعني إغناء كل فرد (مسلمًا كان أم ذميًا) بالقدر الذي يتناسب وإمكانيات المجتمع في ذلك الوقت.
In the sight of Islam, the poor person is the one who fails to achieve a standard of living that satisfies his essential needs according to the standard of living in his country. The higher the living standard is, the wider the actual meaning of poverty becomes. So, if it is common in a certain community that every family owns an independent house, then, failing to possess an independent house becomes a form of poverty. Consequently, balance means granting each individual, Muslim or Dhimmi, sufficiency in a way that fits the society's resources at that time.
ويضمن الإسلام تلبية حاجات جميع أفراد المجتمع، ويتحقق ذلك من خلال التكافل العام، فالمسلم أخو المسلم وكفالته واجبة عليه ومن هنا فإن على المسلمين ألا يظهر بينهم محتاج.
Islam guarantees fulfilling the needs of all society members through public solidarity, as Muslims are brothers and it is obligatory upon them to support one another. Hence, it is the Muslims' duty to make sure that none among them is indigent.
قال النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام:
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"المسلِمْ أَخو المسِلمْ لا يَظْلِمُه ولا يُسْلِمه، ومَن كان في حاجِةِ أخيهِ كان الله في حاجتِه، ومَنْ فرَّج عَنْ مُسلِمٍ كُربةَ فرَّج الله عَنه كُربَةَ مِن كُرُباتِ يومِ القِيامة، ومَن سَتَر مُسلماً ستره الله يَومَ القيامة"[190]. (صحيح البخاري).
"A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, he neither wrongs him nor does he hand him over (to one who does him wrong). Whoever fulfills his brother's needs, Allah will fulfill his needs; and whoever relieves a Muslim of his troubles, Allah will relieve him of one of the troubles of the Day of Judgment; and whoever covers up (the fault of) a Muslim, Allah will cover him up on the Day of Judgment." [190] "Sahīh al-Bukhāri".