Is overpopulation to blame for poverty?

No. Many prosperous countries are more densely populated than poor ones. The real problem is a weak economy, not the number of people.

The argument sounds convincing, but it does not hold up. Several countries in Western Europe have a great many people living on a small area of land. Yet they are prosperous. Their prosperity comes from people working hard to improve their economy and their state. They are not afraid of their own population density.

So the problem is not a large population. It is a large population combined with a weak economy. Anyone who wants to strengthen poor countries should start with the economy, with work, diligence and good organisation. Starting instead by preventing children from being born misses the point.

Life in poor countries is also different from what people in rich countries often imagine. There, it is usually not one breadwinner who supports the whole family. Many families work together, and more hands bring in more for everyone. A larger family can sometimes keep hunger away better than a small one.

The Holy Qur’an answers the fear of poverty with trust. The first verse above makes clear that God provides for children just as He provides for parents. The second says that every creature on earth receives its sustenance from God. Our task is to unlock that sustenance through work and a fair economy.