BismiLLAH AlhamduliLLAH
Poverty Is Not a Moral Requirement in Islam
Once upon a time, one of the daughters of Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) rejected the marriage proposal of ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه).
This rejection was not because ʿUmar lacked honour, leadership, or righteousness. At the time, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab was the leader of the Muslims, governing a vast Islamic state—lands that today form entire countries. The Islamic government itself was wealthy.
Yet, ʿUmar lived in personal poverty.
He chose not to take a salary from the public treasury. He intended to live from his own trade, but leadership consumed his time, and his business suffered. As a result, he lived simply—sometimes harshly.
When he proposed, she refused.
Why She Refused — And Why No One Condemned Her
She refused not out of arrogance, nor greed, nor rebellion against religion.
She refused because she knew herself.
She feared poverty and knew she could not cope with its hardship.
And no one condemned her.
- No one called her materialistic
- No one accused her of lacking īmān
- No one weaponised religion to shame her
Everyone understood that she was within her rights.
Two Women, Two Choices — Both Valid
Later, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab proposed to Umm Kulthūm bint ʿAlī (رضي الله عنها), who accepted. Her name is preserved in the books of history with honour.
Two women.
Two choices.
Both valid.
This is the part many people forget—or deliberately hide.
Islam Does Not Impose Hardship as Virtue
Islam does not impose hardship as a moral obligation.
Islam recognises human capacity — a theme I explore further in The Not So Perfect Beings, reflecting on how human limitations shape our choices.
What elevates one person may destroy another.
The Prophet ﷺ himself sought refuge with Allah from poverty, morning and evening—more than once a day.
- Poverty is not holiness by default
- Wealth is not corruption by default
- Both are tests
Choosing Peace Is Not Weakness
There are noble, righteous women who endure poverty with patience and strength. They are many, and Allah rewards them greatly.
But not every woman is required to choose that path.
A woman who knows that poverty will break her—mentally, emotionally, or spiritually—has the right to protect herself. She can also explore financial security in marriage as Islam provides safeguards like mahr to ensure wellbeing.
- Refusing poverty is not disbelief
- Refusing hardship is not lack of tawakkul
- Refusing a life you cannot survive is wisdom
A Message to My Sisters in Islam
My dear sisters in Islam:
Do not let anyone shame you into poverty.
Do not let anyone weaponise religion against your well-being.
Do not let anyone twist the Sunnah of Allah to silence your discernment.
If you fear poverty will harm you, you have every right to make sure you do not end up there. Faith and worldly provisions are both part of life, as I reflect in Islam and economic realities.
Wealth is a test.
Poverty is a test.
And Allah does not test every soul in the same way.
Sincerely,
Your sister in Islam,
Hamidah
Author of Polygamy in Islam: The No-Polygamy Clause from A - Z (Hall of Light)
Stay Up-to-date: Via the Hall of Light
📚 FURTHER READING
You can look into these if you want to go deeper.
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Marriage of ʿUmar to Umm Kulthūm bint ʿAlī
- Reported in Tārīkh al-Ṭabarī, Al-Bidāyah wa’l-Nihāyah (Ibn Kathīr), and classical Sunni historical works.
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ʿUmar’s austerity and refusal of state wealth
- Widely documented in Sīrat ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb (Ibn al-Jawzī), Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ, and Al-Zuhd literature.
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Seeking refuge from poverty
- Hadith:
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from poverty…”
— reported in Sunan Abī Dāwūd, al-Nasāʾī, and others.
- The Prophet ﷺ made this duʿāʾ morning and evening.
