rather, they are worthy of love. The epitome of perfection and beauty, the unmatched Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would pray to be included in the category of the poor, and he would look to bless this group of poor people with the blessings of his companionship. Sayyiduna Sa’eed Khudri رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states: ‘Show love to the poor people, because I have heard the Beloved Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم say the following words in supplication:

‘اَللَّہُمَّ اَحْیِنِیْ مِسْکِیْنًاوَاَمِتْنِیْ مِسْکِیْنًاوَاحْشُرْنِیْ فِیْ زُمْرَۃِ الْمَسَاکِیْنَ’

Translation: Oh Allah Almighty! Grant me life and death in the state of poverty and resurrect me amongst the group of the poor people. (Ibn-e-Majah, vol. 4, p. 433, Hadees 4126)

At another place, the generous Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated: ‘یَاعَائِشَۃُ اَحِبِّی الْمَسَاکِیْنَ وَقَرِّبِیْہِمْ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ یُقَرِّبُکِ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَۃِ’. Translation: Oh ‘Aaishah! Love the poor people and keep them close to you so that Allah blesses you with His closeness on the day of judgement. (Mishkat, vol. 1, p. 255, Hadees 5244)

The renowned commentator of the Quran, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: ‘We have come to know that whoever is close to poor saints of Allah on earth, will be close to Allah on the day of judgement’. (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 7, p. 88)

O devotees of the Messenger! There is a glad-tiding and good fortune in this statement of our master, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, for the poor and destitute that they will be blessed with proximity to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. It is for this reason that the honourable companions (Sahabah) and the pious elders of Islam liked poverty and did not attempt to flee it by earning a lot of wealth. Poverty is the souvenir of the Prophet of Rahmah, the intercessor of the Ummah.

Loving the poor people is the Sunnah of the Prophets. Initially, those who believed in the message of our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and other honourable Prophets, were mostly the poor people and the slaves. The wealthy rejected the Prophets عَـلَـيْهِمُ السَّلَام, due to their wealth. It is mentioned in the blessed Hadees: ‘Poor people are always the initial followers of Messengers’. (Bukhari, Chapter 6, vol. 1, p. 11, Hadees 7, derived from)