Who is poor
Do you know who is poor?
In an age where all humans are certain about one thing and one thing only is power and money; while every other thing is debatable or to be looked into context or varies from person to person.
Even truth; even what is real. Yes, there is no real, but they are projections of the mind; that is what modern man believes.
But how wrong this post-truth human is; is it because it is weak; or has no spine to stand firm or hold onto anything real;
Can it at least stand for an idea that transcends its lower desire and greed?
Is it too short-sighted; is blinded; cannot understand, or has become a cow and only focuses on the grass in front; and not able to look at the horizon in front of it?
In a gathering with his companions; the beloved Prophet asked
Who is poor?
the Companions of the Holy Prophet stated the obvious;
A poor man amongst us, is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth.
Then the Prophet removed the veil; which we humans mostly miss i.e. look at the materialistic but if we expand it to a big enough timeline; we will know what is real.
Prophet Muhammad PBUH responded.
The poor of my Umma would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire.
The biggest reality of our life that we are unaware of is we are all judged and accounted for all the time; we have been given intellect, consciousness, and free will; which no creature has.
Yes, we can ignore that and close our eyes; but the day of accounting will come upon us sooner than we think and we cannot run away from it.
And Yes you can have all the luxuries in this world, multiple zeroes in your financial institute accounts; lands or castles, or an army of employees or soldiers; but then you have a bigger responsibility to be answerable about.
God is aware of all we have sent forward, it's recorded, and preserved and we would not find anyone to bear the responsibility or get away from it; no matter how much power and possession you get buried with.
The day of revoking will level everything.
Your definition of a good deed does not work, or you will not be able to define what is good and what is evil, and then you will realize that this life is not created as a playground but a test that has been bestowed upon you.
None of the privileges you enjoy in this temporary world are your possessions, but given to you as a test and all of it does not belong to you and others have a right over them as well. Your job is to part those liabilities, live a just and moral life, and make this world a better place than how you found it to be.
Make sure, that when you meet the creator and find what is real, you are not found to be a poor man; being fearful and anxious about the missed opportunity and pleading to go back and fix your status.
Time is eroding and many have returned; maybe you have time to do a correction and hope you do not find wanting when it matters the most.