In all religious scriptures and all the religious traditions the emphasis on spending one’s wealth on poor of the society, is strikingly dominant. In fact the core of religious teachings is how one can depart from his material possessions in favour of those who need them, as an act of pleasing God. That is the reason that all religious communities through out history and around the world currently have established charity based organisations to help the poor in an institutionalised way. This has seen growth of very famous and not so famous organisations helping people across the globe. Kashmir is currently passing through crisis that is singular. It has been more than two months that all the businesses are shut and the disastrous impact of such a thing on our economy, especially on the economically weak, is obvious. This has engendered a social crisis.
The efforts of various localities to raise funds and distribute among the poor in the vicinity is a laudable one, but the enormity of the crisis is too huge, and it requires an institutional effort. It goes without saying that an effective institutional help entails matching level of resources. And that can come only if the rich among us come forward in an exemplary way. Here the spirit of spending needs to be invoked. For this the teachings of the Quran, and the Prophet ( SAW) are the best way to appeal the rich. The way these eternal sources of guidance for us, emphasise the need to spend for the uplift of poor is deeply moving. The Quran is full of verses that underline the importance of spending for the poor. It is one of the major means of seeking the pleasure of God. And the way our beloved prophet ( SAW) has explained this, by way of word and deed, is the most effective way to strengthening the spirit of spending in the way of Allah.