Global Poverty and Moral Responsibility

Global poverty is one of the most important challenges encountering human beings. Thousands of people die every day and 18 million people die every year as a result of poverty and its problems. The main question in this regard is whether the rich have a moral responsibility for poverty or not. Taking advantage of descriptive-analytical methods, this article examines the views of Peter Singer, John Rawls, Amartya Sen, Martha Nussbaum, and finally Thomas Pogg, and asserts the critiques of each. Each of them seems to be facing serious challenges in proving moral responsibility for the poverty of the needy. Finally, it explores this issue based on Islamic thought and believes that according to the Islamic moral system (practical intellect in the sacred wisdom of Islam in terms of the taste of the Shari'a), it is necessary and apt to rule the need to help the non-disobedient non-Muslim needy.