Covid 19 and middle class families.
Suhaib Ashraf Bhat.
Volcanoes and earthquakes, tornadoes and firesCan rip off possessions and precious desires.A terrorist’s bomb or a cyclone or floodCan nip hopeful plans and sweet dreams in the bud.
The same goes for accidents, war and disease:They halt us from doing the things that we please.A cancer, a heart attack, coma or strokeReduces an unfinished job to a joke.
Both nature’s disasters and sickness that killsOr deadly encounters with devilish willsForewarn of the parting of spirit from dust,When time grimly reaps what we guarded in trust.
Our losses foreshadow the final one: death.And yet we were built to hold on to the breathBestowed at our birth with a will to survive.We have to believe Heaven wants us alive!
This instinct—survival—innately informsOur hearts to fight on in the battles and storms,To press through the setbacks, the struggles, the strife,Priority set on the treasure called “life.”
What now is instinctive foreshadows a goal,An eternal journey awaiting the soul.It points to a future that we cannot seeBeyond the destruction we zealously flee.
These troubles foreshadowing death must be met.Yet as they play out, let no pilgrim forgetThat God the Creator-Preserver is Love….Fear’s shadows will fade in faith’s glory above!
( David L. Hatton)
Poverty is one of the calamities that Allah swt has decreed should happen, either to a specific person or a family or a society. Poverty has negative effects on people’s beliefs and conduct. Immoral behaviour becomes widespread to a large extent because of poverty, as a means of meeting people’s needs, so theft, murder, zina and sale of haraam things become widespread. Undoubtedly these things have a negative effect on individuals and societies. Allah swt tells us that some of the mushrikeen used to kill their children, the apples of their eyes, either because of the poverty in which they were living or for fear of poverty that might befall them. Allah swt says of the first case (interpretation of the meaning): “kill not your children because of poverty — We provide sustenance for you and for them” [al-An’aam 6:151]And He says of the second case (interpretation of the meaning): “And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We shall provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great sin” [al-Isra’ 17:31]In al-Saheehayan there is narrated the story of a woman of the Children of Israel who, when she needed money and felt under pressure, she could not find anyone but her paternal cousin who wanted to have his way with her in return for giving her money. Then Allah swt saved her from that after she reminded him of Allah swt and told him to fear Him. Whatever the case, it is well known that poverty leads to crimes and corruption. Many nations suffer from it and are looking for solutions to this problem, but to no avail, and there is no solution except in Islam, which brought rulings for all people until the Hour begins. There are the three points which will surely be helpful only if its implemented.1: Teaching people to believe truly that provision comes from Allah swt and that He is the Provider (al-Razzaaq), and every calamity that Allah swt decrees is for a reason, and that the poor Muslim should be patient in bearing his calamity and strive to relieve himself and his family of poverty.2: Seeking refuge with Allah swt from poverty. The Sunnah relates to us what the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) used to do and what he taught his ummah to do, which is seeking refuge with Allah swt from poverty, because of the effect that it has on a person, his family and his society. 3: Encouragement to help the needy and support the weak. The one who really deserves. It was narrated that al-Nu’maan ibn Basheer said: The Messenger of Allah swt Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) said: “The likeness of the believers in their mutual love, mercy and compassion is that of the body; when one part of it is in pain, the rest of the body joins it in restlessness and fever.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5665) and Muslim (2586).
Before understanding the problems of middle-class family we should first understand what is a middle-class family.A middle-class family is a social group that consists of ordinary people who usually have good jobs and are neither rich nor very poor. The whole world is suffering from Coronavirus Pandemic and during this Pandemic we can see rich class are busy in learning new skills and hobbies while the poor class is suffering for life and death and both the rich and the poor class is getting attention. But there’s an another class of which nobody talks and care about. When all is shut and all is dwindling at an unprecedented pace it is necessary to evaluate our situation. Enormous government schemes, all lined up at the time of Covid-19 range from feeding the poor to the old. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, relief package aims at feeding the poor with essential food supplies, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee and National Rural Livelihood Mission on the other hand, each target on transferring small amounts to the bank accounts of the below poverty families. Apart from these we have farmers being front-loaded and paid under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojna to widows, single women account holders and the Divyang category being paid substantively under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package. Thus, each provide for the rural sector to get an upward push amidst this financial stoop. We all know how badly people are being affected during and after lockdown.The economy is shrinking at a great rate. The government took a number of measures to ensure the least number of casualties in this pandemic and also that lower class and people with no jobs should have food and shelter. The upper class already had proper facilities and is still going well. However, the future still holds bleak for, a middle class. A middle-class person is a self-respecting person. They do not dare to ask for food and essential things from anyone. Whatever resources they have, they always live their lives. They never ask for too much but the amount in which they can live and fulfill their small dreams. They are busy solving their big problems and enjoying their small happy moments. Those who have to pay monthly rent, those who are working in a private company and are not getting salary or are getting less salary than their expenses, are the ones facing some major issues. Whatever happens, the middle class is always left behind.
Conclusion: The Muslim knows that poverty and richness, and whether things are given to one or withheld, are all subject to the decree of Allah swt. So he bears hardships with patience when they come, and he thanks Allah swt, may He be exalted, for good times when he finds them. But he is required to work and seek to earn a living so as to relieve himself and his family of poverty. But if someone is unable to do that because of health reasons or problems in his land, then Islam relieves him of poverty by means of zakaah and charity that are given by the rich. This is the share of their wealth that the poor are entitled to.
The writer can be reached at suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com
