Sociological Cultural Studies

Sociological Cultural Studies

Consequences of poverty from a sociological perspective with an emphasis on Nahj al-Balagha

Document Type : .

Authors
Zahra Hakimzadeh 1
Hafizallah Fooladi venda 2
Zahra Kheirollahi 3
1 Doctoral student of Nahj al-Balagheh Science and Education, Payame Noor University, Tehran. Iran.
2 Member of the Faculty of Sociology Department of Hozeh Research Institute and University of Qom. Qom.Iran.
3 Member of the Faculty of Quranic and Hadith Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran.Iran.
10.30465/scs.2024.49988.2914
Abstract

Abstract
Poverty is one of the social harms whose destructive effects are evident in all aspects of life. It deprives people of foresight, life situations, and opportunities to achieve a healthy life, a safe home, education, and a decent income. Poverty has a long history and has been addressed by thinkers from different dimensions, yet it remains a difficult individual and social problem that affects societies. The importance of paying attention to the issue of poverty and sociologically examining its consequences from the perspective of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali(as),clarifies the necessity of the present study. In this research, using textual content analysis and sociological research, the most important consequences of poverty and its effects on the individual and society have been discussed and studied by focusing on the noble book of Nahj al-Balagheh. The sociological findings of poverty in the Imam's speech showed that poverty has serious harm in various personal, social, economic and political aspects and is one of the threats to the individual and the society. Considering the effects of poverty from the perspective of Imam Ali(as), the necessity of referring to the book of Nahj al-Balagheh becomes clear for us to find ways to get rid of poverty.
Keywords: Imam Ali (a.s.), Nahj al-Balagha, poverty, consequences of poverty, sociology.


Introduction
Poverty represents a social condition characterized by a lack of basic resources necessary for life and survival. It can also be defined as the inability to obtain food, clothing, or other basic needs that people suffering from due to hunger and lack of education and health care.
Sociologists believe that this social situation is the result of the unequal and unjust distribution of income and wealth among the people of society.The impact of poverty and its spread on the individual and society in a way that its real burden on the available resources and opportunities can be seen, and as an individual and social problem, it has a negative impact on the most vulnerable groups of the society. While this definition provides a general concept of poverty, sociologists have identified different types of poverty, the most important of which are: Extreme poverty: This type of poverty refers to the minimum living needs of humans. Therefore, people who do not have the minimum income and are unable to provide the necessary biological needs to survive live in extreme poverty.
Absolute poverty: This type of poverty, considering the economic and social status of people in the society, emphasizes the necessary needs to achieve the lowest living standards and the level of access to material and economic elements in determining the poverty status, and so-called, they refer to the need and lack of the essentials of life - food, clothing and shelter. Relative poverty: the lower income of the individual than the average income of the society is defined as relative poverty. The definition of relative poverty varies from place to place, because it depends on the social and economic conditions of the poor person's place of life. Sociologists have defined poverty in different ways, such as extreme, absolute and relative poverty, which is usually defined by not having the minimum income to satisfy the stomach, the lack of resources necessary to maintain a certain standard of expected level of living for the individual, and the individual's income being lower than the average income level of the society. In this research, the poverty in question is material and objective poverty. It is the same thing that is used against rich and wealth or lack of property that is, not having the necessities of life such as food, clothing and shelter and everything that is necessary for survival and living a dignified life. This type of poverty has been mentioned in Imam's statement with different interpretations, which indicate deprivation and misery caused by lack of income or its insufficiency in providing the minimum acceptable level - food, clothing and shelter. In the words of the Commander of the believers, Imam Ali(AS), we find a detailed description of condemning poverty and warning about its unpleasant consequences. It is because of the links between poverty and disbelief that the Imam considered poverty to be equal to disbelief. When a poor person feels and endures material deprivations and sees the luxury and prosperity enjoyed by rich people and compares it with his own life, he may have doubts about God's unquestionable justice. In this case, she/he may become involved in stealing, begging, lying, and other moral deviations, and mentally and psychologically, she/he may suffer from sadness and anxiety; As a result, she/he distances herself/himself from efforts and useful business to obtain a halal sustenance.

Methodology
The current research aims to express the concept of poverty from a social point of view and to study the personal and social consequences and damages resulting from it by focusing on the book Nahj al-Balagha. Therefore, the current research seeks to answer the question: What is poverty and what are its consequences from a sociological point of view? Based on the main question, the current research, using the text content analysis method by emphasizing the sociological analysis of propositions related to research in Imam's speech and categorizing them according to the difference in the content of the propositions, investigates the consequences and widespread harms of poverty in different personal, social, economic and political dimensions.

Discussion & Result
In light of the above, poverty is often defined in terms of subsistence and lack of income, in which case an individual is unable to meet their basic needs of food, clothing, and housing. The problem of poverty in the world has become an insoluble problem and has harmful consequences on both the individual and social levels. Imam Ali(AS) has seriously paid attention to the various aspects of poverty and has dealt with this problem and its effects from a sociological point of view by expressing its truth in the society. Intellectual and physical weakness, dispersion of spiritual strength and mental confusion, feeling of inferiority, ignorance, illiteracy, dimming of religious issues and other problems are all considered as the undesirable effects of poverty on a person. Poverty is a threat to the security, health and stability of a society. If the cause of poverty is the unequal distribution of wealth among people and the luxuries of the minority against the majority, this is the poverty that hurts the souls of the needy and creates strife, violence, enmity and chaos among them. Economic effects have also wide aspects, including: low level of production due to decrease in income, investment and savings, and decrease in financial resources necessary to meet the needs of the individual and society. A needy person who feels weak and anxious due to the neglect of the officials and the contempt of the community members towards him, has no motivation to defend his home, because his country and the people of the community have not given him any help to get rid of hunger and misery.

Conclusion
Poverty is a problem that has devastating consequences for the most vulnerable groups in society. The extent of the impact of poverty is such that it overshadows the entire individual, social, economic and political life of individuals and societies. Therefore, this issue needs a radical solution based on specific and wise policies. Considering the sociological findings about poverty and its effects, and its compatibility with what Imam Ali(a.s) has said since more than 1400 years ago, it becomes clear how important it is to refer to such sources; Because not much time has passed since social findings appeared.
Keywords
Nahj ul-Balagha
Consequences of poverty
Imam Ali
Poverty
individual consequences
social consequences
Subjects
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Sociological Cultural Studies
Volume 16, Issue 3 - Serial Number 57
Autumn 2025
Summer 2025
Pages 331-364

  • Receive Date 04 October 2024
  • Revise Date 03 July 2025
  • Accept Date 01 December 2024
  • Publish Date 22 November 2025