Rich and Poor

One day i attend a "pengajian (dunno the term) in the mosque next to my house. I remember the speaker said "Seburuk2 orang miskin adalah orang miskin yang mengetuk pintu untuk meminta. Seburuk2 orang kaya adalah orang kaya yang pintunya perlu diketuk agar keluar hartanya." I can't exactly say that the words come from the Prophet directly (a hadits) or it's one of his followers (shohabat) or the Ulama. but it's certainly coming from one of them. At that time, after listening to the explanation from the speaker i just think "oh, that's right. very true". But now, i found the reason why. In my personal opinion, the point of the words are the mentality of the rich and the poor people regarding to their condition. we'll take a closer look up next.

The idea of this note comes up after watching Metro TV showing hundreds of people bursting into a mosque -somewhere i forgot- shouting, pushing, stepping on each other, breaking the fence; just to get a plastic bag of meat (it won't weigh more than half kilo). What we can see is that there exactly NO character of humanity among people; once again for a plastic bag of meat. When a Hyena find it's prey, they will do exactly the same to what the people out there do.

Another example; still fresh in our mind the tragedy in Pasuruan caused by similar situation in which people rumbled each other to get Rp 25.000. It caused 21 lives. A price tag of "Rp 25.000" were slapped in 21 lives of our brother. Another example of a wild and non-human behavior.

Whose mistake? Poor people because they are poor? Government because they can't distribute the prosperity? Rich people because they are (so-called) sharing their wealth? None of them.

It's pathetic if a poor people living in a poor condition also poor mentally. If it's for an urgent need (operation, accident, giving birth, etc) then they need to have their pride not to ask and beg. Have their willing to solve it by doing anything but to beg for people's generosity and kind heart. They need to be strong and RESPECT THEMSELVES. They need to give a RESPECT for themselves as a HUMAN BEING. Behave as a human, think as a human, have pride as a human, and live as a human. For their own sake. Eating a meet is not a must; buying new clothes for 'Id is not a must; having a cellphone is not a must (reality: beggars DO have cellphones, and they beg). So, what kind of mental deficiency which make people sacrifice their pride and self-esteem just to get those short-term satisfaction and happiness? Life is not easy; i know it. Money is not everything but everything needs money; agreed. Do everything, sacrifice everything even your life to get some money?? Negative. One of my favorite quote taken from a Tasikmadu employee "Kalo sudah lewat kerongkongan, sate dan singkong akan sama rasanya." It can be implied not just for foods. How long will you admire your new dress, shoes, necklace, etc in front of the mirror?? not that long. Dunno to whom i should speak, but this word is aimed towards those who begs and knocking doors for coins for unimportant and not urgent things: Please, respect yourself. For your own sake.

Rich people living in their palaces with their mercedeses and expensive clothes but closing the eye from their surrounding is the worst person stepping on the earth. Let's take an example. Sayyid Ali Zainal Abidin, son of Husin, grandson of Muhammad SAW, every night roams around Medina carrying wheat on HIS OWN shoulder to be given to poor people in the town. Every night without a single house missed. No one knows about it except his storehouse guard. When he died and no more wheat found in front of houses, people then find out that it's Sayyid Ali who did it every night. That's an example for every rich people to do. For the rich people: Open your eye to your surrounding. Have feeling towards people next to you, in front of you and anywhere near your place. You're afraid of getting poor? Sharing your wealth won't make you poor. You are making a trade to the God; the Richest of all. He won't let His companion down. It's very kind of you if you welcome every people who come to your house and need your help. But you're not different to a baby -waiting to be fed. Move on! Share your wealth! And be socially aware.