Al-faqr

Definition of "Al-faqr"

Lit: Poverty, need, want. Tech: A condition of unfulfilled basic needs. It also refers to a condition of lack of contentment, leaving one in a state of greed. But it has a positive connotation as well: indifference towards material endowments, despite ability to acquire and possess. A natural corollary of al-faqr is rough and simple living by one’s option (and thus to transfer the surplus to the needy and the poor). In this sense, al-faqr is an economic value of the Islamic society.