Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: No place for poverty or begging in a true Islamic state like Imam Ali’s
The Supreme Religious Authority, Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Sadiq al-Husseini al-Shirazi, emphasized that the prevalence of poverty and begging worldwide reflects deficiencies in government systems, pointing out that these issues persist even in the wealthiest and most developed nations.
The Grand Marja remarked, “If you go to the wealthiest country in the world, you will find poor people and beggars. Even in the most advanced nations, with the best modern laws, poverty still exists,” affirming that Islam does not accept such phenomena in an ideal Islamic state, citing the government of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib as a model that eradicated poverty and begging.
His Eminence explained that Imam Ali (peace be upon him), who governed an extensive state comparable to around fifty modern countries, built a society free from poverty by implementing a fair system of wealth distribution and social justice. This approach eliminated the need for begging in his state.
Grand Ayatollah Shirazi stated that the root causes of poverty lie in the absence of justice and equitable wealth distribution, calling on Muslims to draw inspiration from Imam Ali’s governance and apply the true teachings of Islam to ensure dignity and a poverty-free society.
