All this is trying to tell you if you are a true Christian and you have wealth you should try and help those in need. Wealthy Christian people who do not do this are most likely to find them selves in hell, because they only think for themselves. “When you did not do it for other people you did not do it for me.” (Luke 10:25-37).
These quotes teaches you that you either you love your money or God. Having money will make a person want to become more wealthier, rather than worshipping God, so they will kind of forget God and worship or a dour the money they own. “God blesses those who come to aid the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them… Love for the poor is incompatible with immoderate uses of riches or their selfish use.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church). This means to help those in need and God will praise them for doing this.
Quotes from other Churches are trying to play there part an example, the Methodist Church is telling followers to help those effected by natural or moral disasters and poverty.
In the New Testament,” if anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need, how can the love of God be in Him? Dear children let us not love with words or tongue, but with tongue actions and in truth?” (1 John 3:17:18). This is trying to say if you do any actions it is louder than you are just saying, this influences Christians to help.
Christians should not just be concerned with the poor in UK because it says, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can his faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘go I wish you well; keep warm and well fed; but does nothing about hid physical needs, what good is it? In the same way faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead” (James 2:14-17).
He is trying to put you in that poor persons place and he is trying to say if you can help than do so, but if you do not, you will die regretting it.
Muslim teachings
In Islam, Allah is known to be a supplier of all wealth to Muslims, but the wealth you receive which is from Allah, should be shared with those brothers and sisters in need.
Muslims believe the right attitude to wealth is by sharing a specific amount of what you own this is called ‘Zakah,’ Zakah is the first pillar out of the five pillars, it informs Muslims to share their wealth and fortune with those who need it. The word Zakah means purification in the Arabic language so many Muslims believe giving Zakah will purify you from bad things you’ve done.
Muslims know this from the Quran for example, “Those who in charity spend of their goods by night and by day, in secret and in public, have their reward with their Lord,” (Surah 2:274).
This quote means, Muslims who give to charity in anyway they like, will be rewarded by Allah for helping the less fortunate.
Another example quoted by Al-Bukhari, “He who eats and drinks whilst his brother goes hungry is not one of us” (Hadith).
Zakah is 2.5% of a Muslims wealth should be donated to charity to purify their wealth, it means to give an amount of what you own of your wealth to charity, which you have to do.
In the festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are occasions when Muslims can give extra Sadaqah.
Sadaqah means to give money voluntary of any amount to charity. Some of the examples of how Muslims help the poor is by zakah, sadaqah, Islamic aids, if you see a brother or sister in need of help you should help them. You can give sadaqah in different ways, contribute to a mosque, help the poor of your land, help the poor across the world, help the people with debts… to me, the most important is help the people across the world’ because they might not have no food or shelter.
“If the debtor is in a difficultly, grant him time till it is easy for him to repay. But if you remit it by way of charity, that is best for you if you only knew,” (Surah 2:280).
This is trying to teach Muslims to be patience and sympathetic if the debtor is unable to repay the debt back. Muslims are encouraged to not take Riba (interest), as this is taking advantage of those less fortunate and making life more difficult for them.
Christians and Muslim followers should respond on what there religion is expected of them. On how they spend their wealth? They should spend it in a mannered way, what I mean is that not spending it on drugs….
Still people behave in the wrong way, which God does not want you too. It is like a test to see if you had wealth how would you spend it?
Mustafa Hussein
