Surah Al-Balad — Verse 16

Word Meanings:

• Miskinan (مِسْكِينًا): A poor person who is in a state of extreme need and destitution.
• Dha matrabah (ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ): Literally, "one who is stuck to the dust/earth." This refers to a person so impoverished that they have nothing but the ground to lie on — no bed, no shelter, no possessions. The word comes from *turab* (dust/soil), indicating someone who clings to the earth due to utter poverty.

Explanation of the Verse:

This verse continues the description of the "steep path" — the difficult yet noble deed of spending in the cause of Allah. After mentioning feeding an orphan who is a close relative — an act that combines charity with maintaining family ties — Allah then says: "or a poor person stuck to the dust."

This refers to a destitute individual who has absolutely nothing. They are so poor that they lie on the bare earth, their skin touching the dust, with no cushion, no mattress, and no means of comfort. They are the most vulnerable and forgotten members of society — those who have been crushed by poverty to the point that they cling to the ground itself.

The imagery here is powerful and moving. Allah is calling upon us to look beyond our own comfort and notice those who have been reduced to the lowest state of material existence. This is not merely about giving charity to anyone in need; it is about reaching out to the most helpless, the most overlooked, and the most desperate among us.

A Call to Compassion:

Dear brother or sister in humanity, reflect on this beautiful guidance from your Lord. Islam does not merely ask you to give — it teaches you *where* to give and *whom* to prioritize. The one "stuck to the dust" is the person sleeping on the street tonight, the widow who cannot afford food for her children, the refugee who has lost everything, the elderly person with no one to care for them.

When you feed such a person, you are not just filling an empty stomach — you are wiping away the dust of humiliation from a human being created in the best form. You are honoring a soul that Allah has honored. And know with certainty that when you extend your hand to the one stuck to the earth, Allah — the Most High, the Most Merciful — will extend His mercy to you in ways you cannot imagine.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The one who cares for a widow or a poor person is like the one who strives in the path of Allah" — and he also said, "I and the one who cares for an orphan will be together in Paradise like this," and he held his index and middle fingers together.

So do not let the opportunity pass you by. Seek out those who are "stuck to the dust" in your community, your city, your world. Your wealth is a trust from Allah, and this verse shows you one of the most beloved ways to spend it. Be the reason someone rises from the dust to dignity, and you will find yourself raised in ranks with your Lord.