Poverty: A curable disease
What is Poverty?
Poverty: A curable disease. The class system arises in the genre of either power or money. Every society has people categorized as either being affluent, middle class or lower class which mostly is poverty ridden (rich and poor). Pakistan’s poverty line shows that 4 out of 10 people our poor. Poverty has a direct relation with unemployment; countries with a higher poverty ration may also face a high unemployment rate which is one of the main causes of poverty. The poor individual may indulge in crime and thievery to make his or hers ends meet. The fact of the matter is that some people are fortunate and may be blessed with funds more then they need, whereas others may not even poses basic necessities. This is all as per God’s will to which we submit and to which we abide. If destiny has giant sums written for you then you may achieve it, if not well God has made frameworks to support the poor. If we all follow the right path and support a humanitarian cause; salvation is achievable as a whole. Citizens of a country, governments, philanthropist and NGOs can all word hand in hand to make the world a better place
Taxation is a way to assist the poor and also take care of the country. Islam has also denoted a Taxation on the rich to help out the poor. This tax amount is called Zakat. Zakat is a requirement to be paid if you have a certain amount of savings in your possession. God does not despise the poor he has set a support system for them to have enough to sustain and live comfortably. The problem is that many don’t contribute towards taxes and Zakat which is why poverty is escalating at an increasing rate. Zakat is one of the 5 pillars of Islam and it is obligatory on all Muslims. A Muslim eligible for Zakat should have a certain minimum amount of additional wealth, this wealth can be quantified in terms of household items, furniture, gold, silver etc. The possessions should be such that they can be used to derive profits and the ownership should be above a year. The Zakat payer should not have Liabilities near to or more then the additional wealth he or she possesses. You can use a Zakat Calculator to be sure of what is required of you.
One of the problems that we face when we help the poor people is: assurance that the person you are helping is actually needy. In Pakistan we are approached by many beggars on the streets who fit the category of poor people; but is that an act? People have created begging as a business and they actually make more money than doing a 9 to 5 job. I have heard many cases where beggars have established businesses but still continue their daily routine of asking for change. We need to make sure that our money is going to the ones who are in need and that we are not encouraging this begging Mafia to further spread their wings.
Mediating or eradicating poverty:
To resolve the issue of poverty, a sense of equality needs to arise among all. People who are blessed with wealth can take certain measures, not something extensive, a small helping hand can do a lot. It’s the same thing how the system of profits work, you either charge higher and sell less, or vice versa. When people join hands and help the poor, and if things go right, poverty can have significant minimization.
A person should start by giving out spare change to the poor. Putting out a few Rupees on a weekly basis can be very helpful for the needy. You just need to make sure the person is deserving. Encouraging others to do the same is also important, word of mouth for a good cause can create a lot of awareness. Donation of things that we no longer need like books, clothes, food, pots and pans etc. may help a lot of people. A person should also pay his or her taxes which enters the cycle to eventually reduce poverty (enas.m01@zakat.org, 2016).
Some people especially those from Pakistan may claim that their taxed money is going in to corrupt pockets so it’s not worth it. Well some of it may be true but as citizens it is our duty and responsibility to pay taxes, and the government is responsible to use it wisely and efficiently. These taxes can help in creating better infrastructure which would bring forward new jobs. They will help in making better schools to educate children from poor backgrounds (child poverty) and governments such as ours can start unemployment benefits. If you still have doubts about your tax money not being utilized properly you should still pay Zakat (Muslims). I would advice you to use the Zakat Calculator to know what you need to give out. Laws need to be implemented that make our state’s men accountable for each tax penny spent, complete transparency. Making better schools and providing a safety net through unemployment benefits is highly recommend to reduce poverty. A better education may lead to better jobs and unemployment benefits may keep people floating until they find a new job. If we go as per Gods system of paying Zakat (Muslims) this on its own can do a lot, but try and pay yourself instead of asking third parties to do it. Many NGO’s are playing a vital role in helping the poor and even if we cannot donate we should volunteer and be a part of their cause.
To conclude money comes and goes. Those who have it do not realize it’s worth as compared to those who have less than the bare minimum. We all should play our part in helping the poor and needy. The help should be a nudge for them to start earning the right way, rather than motivating them to keep begging and waiting for grants. Distinguishing between a person who begs to earn and who begs to survive is very important. If all stake holders follow their social responsibility; poverty may be reduced. The main thing is to have faith and guilt, if you are in a good state, make sure you are not the only one who reaps from your fortunes. Money may stay with you or bid farewell, but the satisfaction you feel for making someone’s life better would stay with you throughout your life. Show some love and make the world a better place. To sum up I stand by the topic ‘Poverty: A curable disease’.
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