Q: What is the difference between al-Fuqara and al-Masakin?
A: Scholars have different opinions on the differences between al-Fuqara and al-Masakin. They can be summarised in the following points:
1) 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’.
2) Those who have more than half of their essentials in terms of money and assets are regarded as al-Masakin. Whereas, those who own less than half are from al-Fuqara’.
3) Those whose economic state is worse than the needy .
