It would not be out of place if the current era were labeled as an era of corruption, riots, killings, looting, and natural disasters, while the Muslim Ummah’s greatest trial and tribulation— the one that descends from the sky— is poverty.
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Poverty almost leads to disbelief.” (Musnad Ahmad ibn Mani’, Al-Mu’jamul Awsat, Hadith: 4056). It means poverty can take away a Muslim’s belief as heart is the most precious thing in a human chest and in a Muslim’s heart, belief is the most valuable thing and deprivation might lead a person to doubt.
It is evident that a person cannot have much choise if there is not enough food to eat or clothing to wear. Can such a person refuse when told that we will provide them with food, clothing, and shelter in exchange for doing what we say?
For the past 75 years, the number of Pakistanis living below the poverty line has been rising gradually, and no control measures have been implemented. The people in charge of this nation neither sought office to alleviate poverty, nor are they working for it.
The recent “good news” that caught my attention was the staff level agreement between Pakistan and IMF for another bailout package, for which the global lender forced the government to accept its conditions. Ironically, Pakistanis have been waiting for this long to see their government agree to strict IMF conditions.
When an IMF bailout is in place, the country receives financial aid that aids in stabilizing the rupee’s value. The dollar may drop below 270 rupees in the next days, according to a reasonable estimate, but anyone who understands the economy is aware of how fleeting this period is.
Then some vultures will purchase those dollars from the market and sell them when the value of the dollar soars to Rs300. There were other ways to fix the problem, though, if the nation’s economy only had this one illness. But hoarders and thieves can be found anywhere in this county. The cost of everything rises as a result, which causes poverty to spread and, in turn, raises the rate of crime and suicide.
In order for the country to decrease the number of people living in poverty and raise the standard of living overall, it is imperative that both the government and the masses comprehend these facts and discover constructive and remedial modifications in their overall behavior.
