By Olugbenga Salami
An Osun State-based Muslim scholar, Ustadh Abdul Hakeem Abdul Rasheed, has clarified that while Islamic teachings promote charity and helping the poor and the needy, they also strongly encourage knowledge and skill-building as a form of lasting benefit, and sure way to eradicate poverty.
He said: “In Islam, the Qur’an and Sunnah stress the importance of providing sustainable solutions for poverty, often through education and empowering people to support themselves.”
Ustadh Abdul Hakeem, further stated in an article that Islamic teachings emphasise empowering individuals rather than creating dependency, adding that the concept of teaching a skill, which provides ongoing benefit, aligns with the idea of Sadaqatul Jariyah, where good deeds continue to yield rewards even after a person’s death.
“Islam places a high value on knowledge and education, seeing them as powerful tools for improving lives and communities. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) stated that angels and even the fish in water pray for those who teach beneficial knowledge,” he stressed, adding that teaching a skill provides the means to earn a living indefinitely, fostering independence and sustainability.
“Islam emphasises that true charity helps people become independent, fostering self-reliance rather than dependency.
“It encourages methods of help that create lasting positive change.
“Empowering people with skills recognises their potential to contribute and thrive.
“It shifts the focus from short-term fixes to long-term solutions and continuous improvement for individuals and communities,” the scholar, who is the founder of Al-Hakeem Islamic Foundation explained.
He pointed out that early Islamic civilisation viewed education as a complete way of life, not just academic learning, but a complete holistic approach to knowledge and skill acquisition.
Similarly, he advised Muslims to train their children in the way of Allah, especially on salah and sexual education so that they could be useful to themselves, the parents and the society in general.
Ustadh Abdul Hakeem reminded the true believers that Prophet Muhammad had established guiding principles on how to train their children to be religious and moral in the way of Allah.
The scholar particularly said that Allah wanted Muslims to start training their children with salah so that others would be easier for them.
He quoted Prophet Muhammad as reported by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As, to said “Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years old; and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately.”
The scholar explained that the lessons and jurisprudence of the Hadith is that it establishes guiding principles on how to train our children to be religious and moral in the way of Allah.
