Q: What is the difference between al-Fuqara and al-Masakin?
Scholars have different opinions on the differences between al-Fuqara (“the poor”) and al-Masakin (“the needy”). They can be summarised in the following points:
- A person who has absolutely nothing in terms of wealth and assets is from the al-Masakin. Whereas, a person who has some wealth but less than sufficiency or less than Nisab is from the al-Fuqara’. (This is the Hanafi view. The other schools hold the opposite view).
- Those who have at least half of their essentials in terms of money and assets are regarded as al-Masakin. Whereas, those who cannot cover half are from al-Fuqara’.
- Those whose economic state is worse than the needy.
Reviewed on 31/01/2022
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