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Foreword xiii likely lead to a path out of dependency. In one hadith, . a man requested mon- etary help from Muhammad. . Instead of giving this, the Prophet asked him whether he had anything he could sell in his home. He had a coarse cloth that was broken into two pieces to lie on and for cover at night. On request, he took these to Muhammad, . who sold them for him for two coins. With these, the man was to buy food and an axe, which he then used to earn his living.12 Poverty and Religious Explanations Behind some religious responses to poverty are questions about human nature and Victorian-sounding distinctions between the deserving and undeserving poor. Who decides who belongs to which category, and can it really be true that some lazy and irresponsible people choose homelessness and poverty as a lifestyle preference apart from those with a religious voca- tion for the ascetic life? Indic religious thought can also explain poverty as the result of karmic acts from previous lives, while some ancient texts pro- hibit the lowest class from accumulating wealth, which for others is one of the four aims in life. Interfering in this system could either be acts that also result from positive karma or acts that will have negative karmic conse- quences in the future. Yet, the Sikh concept of Seva as “selfless service” per- formed with no thought for reward also resonates with how the Bhagavad-Gita calls for action in the world without being attached to its fruits (meaning acts of kindness), because this reflects how Krisna . acts, although he does not have to do so, “for the preservation of the world.”13 Some traditional societies mitigate inequality by stressing mutual inter- dependence. The African religions chapter cites Elizabeth Amoah’s “twelve aspirational features of traditional African society designed to thwart ill- being’s spiritual and social malevolence, and to promote well-being.” This chapter argues that African tradition adopts an holistic view of life that inte- grates the material, psychological, and spiritual dimensions and does not relegate poverty to the economic or political spheres. Among Amoah’s prin- ciples are using land as a common resource, sharing and reciprocity, the concept of community-centered wealth, and an emphasis on resource man- agement. Another, resonating with Chinese thought, is “hard work.” By sharing and managing resources efficiently as well as by respecting Mother Earth and her ability to provide, sustainable communities can be developed that will not require top-down handouts. Our relationship with the planet is another key area where religious thinking becomes relevant. Do we treat the earth as expendable because it will one day end or do we treat the earth as a sacred trust to be conserved and honored? Some traditional religions see humans as owned by the land, not as owners of land, which they should revere. Land is not to be exploited until its resources are