Poverty Discourse Analysis in the Qur’an within the Framework of Laclau and Mouffe’s Theory

Abstract

The present paper analyzes the issue of poverty in the Qur’an adopting Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse analysis method. Using this approach, it is tried to highlight the importance of the subject in the Qur’an, aiming to initiate serious discussions among Muslims and the followers of other religions on solving the poverty crisis. The Qur’anic discourse has two articulations on poverty alleviation and lack of poverty alleviation: a discouraging-encouraging strategic expression and rational approach. In this way, it divides the social space into the two poles of poverty eliminating identity (i.e., the positive identity or polarity) and poverty disregarding identity (i.e., the negative identity or polarity). The discourse’s strategies for poverty alleviation include eliminating the concentration of wealth in society by paying Zakat and Enfagh by individuals and allocating a portion of the community’s income to poverty alleviation. This portion is Fay and the spoils of war back then. Also, this discourse is about linking religious life and rituals including Hajj, sacrifice, Fidya, mosque preservation, and peace concerning poverty alleviation. This discourse achieves hegemony and prevails in 7th-century Saudi Arabia, where no attention is paid to poverty alleviation; however, it died out slowly after the Prophet’s death for some reason.

Keywords

• qur’an
• poverty discourse
• mecca and medina
• poverty alleviation