There are many people who die of hunger, which we don’t see in the media daily. Some people may wonder, why God, The Creator doesn’t feed them? This question might be asked by believers and non-believers.
First, let’s focus on the availability of basic human needs in this world. God, The Creator, has always provided us with enough food, water, and resources… which is enough for everybody. One research said that to stop people from dying from hunger, yearly we need just around 30 Billion USD. At the international level, 30 Billion is nothing. Simply nations can contribute and afford it.
What is stopping those who are in control from spending such a small amount of money? Corruption? We, as humans, spend Billions and Billions of dollars on war and other postponable programs like politics, space, and some other unncessesary research. The priority should be given to poor people. Poverty is almost done intentionally. Therefore we can not blame God for the lack of our needs.
At this point, still, people may ask “Why God The Creator doesn’t help them with his power despite the corruption?”
There is a purpose in life. Everybody has his/her own test in this life which is given by God. First of all, it’s not only the poor who suffers in this life. The human test comes in many forms, some people are tested by shortage or overage of money, some people by their health, some people by being handicapped, some people by depression … there are many more tests which we don’t know, only the person who experience it know how it feels. Simply, you are rich doesn’t mean you own everything, there could be people who have less money and shortages of basic supplies, and yet enjoy their life more than the riches.
On the day of judgment, every single bit of suffering will justify bad deeds or will be counted for our benefit. Having money doesn’t mean the person is satisfied 100%. For example, if a person have 10 billions of dollars, and, however, if he loses 9.8 Billion and left only with 200 Million, the person may think he is poor and think he has almost nothing left. On the other hand, if a poor person gets $100,000 he may feel he is the richest. And may spend the rest of his life feeling very rich and happy.
The majority of our population (around 90%) is blessed, and when we come to the people who die of hunger, there is very good news about them. Yes, they suffered far more than anyone as dying from hunger means lots of pain, and many things were sacrificed. But, they are guaranteed winners. Their life didn’t end there. Their sacrifice was not for nothing. Because they pass this test. And on the day of judgment, the one who was patient in this life will be rewarded paradise without an account (i.e straight to heaven without questioning them for their earthly deeds). This type of person is considered the winner and lucky on the day of judgment. On the other hand, the person who was rich will get questioned about where he/she got the money (If he/she wronged people or not) and where did he/she spend the money that he/she was blessed with in worldly life. Accounted cent by cent, imagine. A person can not say “it’s my money, I spend it wherever I want” because he can not spend his money on the wrong things and expect good. A money-blessed person can spend money on charity to get rewarded for it (if every rich person does this act no one would have died from hunger). Then, the person would win in this world and hereafter.
Quran 39:10 says:
Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.”
There are some people who do evil in this world, and on the day of judgment, they will wish to be in the poor person’s life because the poor who suffered in this life or died of hunger will enter paradise without any question eternally and there is no burden at all in front of him but the rich will get questioned one by one for every penny earned, and there is heavy consequences if he/she obtained the money in a way which God has forbidden us.
Every detail of their good and bad deed will be shown to them. This doesn’t mean that all rich people will be punished, but the one who obtained their money in the wrong way and/or spend it in the wrong way, they might need to pay for their mistake if they didn’t fix it while they were alive in this life.
Quran 18 49 says:
And the record ˹of deeds˺ will be laid ˹open˺, and you will see the wicked in fear of what is ˹written˺ in it. They will cry, “Woe to us! What kind of record is this that does not leave any sin, small or large, unlisted?” They will find whatever they did present ˹before them˺. And your Lord will never wrong anyone.
O Believers, many rabbis, and monks wrongfully consume people’s possessions and turn people away from God’s path. [O Prophet Mohammed], tell those who hoard gold and silver instead of giving in God’s cause that they will have a grievous punishment:
As one of the five pillars of Islam, zakat (Charity) is mandatory giving; all Muslims eligible to pay it must donate at least 2.5% of their accumulated wealth for the benefit of the poor. If this was done worldwide, no one would have died of hunger.
And on the other hand, some people may ask “Why God didn’t bless everyone with rich life?”. If you have read this internal article, it explains the purpose of life which is to test us. This world is a temporary test, which God wants us to pass. God wants us to live our full and eternal life after this life. God knows this life’s happiness won’t last long, and also knows the hereafter life is eternal happiness, therefore God doesn’t want us to think that this life is our real life. Read the following verse from Quran:
Quran 42-27 says:
And if Allah had extended [excessively] provision for His servants, they would have committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends [it] down in an amount which He wills. Indeed He is, of His servants, Acquainted and Seeing.
And the second point of view is to support each other, i.e, the poor and the rich give service to each other. As the rich can not live without the poor and the poor can not live without the rich to support each other for life continuity. That way, the rich get tested in their life by their money and the poor are tested for their patience for their hard work. The poor are more likely to pass the test of life than the rich. Because the poor have sacrificed many things more than the rich. At the end of the day, the rich are not better than the poor, white is not better than black, and a full person is not better than a disabled person. We all are the same. No one would represent him/her if he didn’t represent himself in the way he/she is. If you were born somewhere else with different skin color, the personality you own wouldn’t exist, right? We are all given these statuses we have just for the test, not because one is superior and the other is inferior. Life is a “test”, not “rest” remember that. We need to love each other and support each other regardless of our differences.
Quran 43:32 says
Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.
The rich people are not only the one to be blamed, we as normal people also should ask ourselves what have we contributed to poor people. Helping one person is also a good contribution. We may think we contributed small, but for the person, you helped it is as if you have provided him/her everything (regardless of his/her religion).
This and God knows the rest. In the end, everything is God’s will. He created us and knows better than us how to manage us and this world. This what is written here is just a simple explanation based on the capability of my understanding, there is much more wisdom for why everything is the way it is which only God knows. We have to trust our Creator and we have to have positive faith. Life is a one-time test but a very long one. We have to pass the test.
Read Quran fully and open-minded, yourself to understand the purpose of life. I can guarantee you it will understand many things which you might still don’t have an answer for it. Don’t let anyone tell you what Quran is, don’t listen to the media, read it for your self then judge. You can read Quran translated into your language or translated into English.
May God guide all of us to the right Path and help us to pass the test of life. Ameen.