Beware of the poor!

Imam Ali (as) in his Letter to Malik Ashtar (his ruler in Egypt):

Beware! Fear God when dealing with the problem of the poor who have non to patronize, who are forlorn, indigent and helpless and are greatly torn in mind -victims of the vicissitudes of Time. Among them there are some who do not question their lot in life not withstanding their misery, do not go about a begging. For God's sake, safeguard their rights; for on you rest the responsibility of protection. Assign for their uplift a portion of the state exchequer (Baitul-mal), wherever they may be, whether close at hand or far away from you. The rights of the two should be equal in your eye. Do not let any preoccupation slip them from your mind; for no excuse whatsoever for the disregard of their rights will be acceptable to God. Do not treat their interests as of less importance than your own, and never keep them outside the purview of your important considerations, and mark the persons who look down upon them and of whose conditions they keep you in ignorance.

Select from among your officers such men as are meek and God fearing who can keep you properly informed of the condition of the poor. Make such provision for these poor people as shall not oblige you to offer an excuse before God on the Day of Judgment; for, it is this section of the people more than any other which deserves benevolent treatment. Seek your reward from God by giving to each of them what is due to him and enjoin on yourself as a sacred duty the task of meeting the needs of such aged among them as have no independent means of livelihood and are averse to seek alms. And it is the discharge of this duty that usually proves very trying for ruler, but is very welcome to societies which are gifted with foresight. It is only such societies or nations who truly carry out with equanimity their covenant with God to discharge their duty to the poor. [1]

Note:
1. Nahjul Balagha, Letter 53: An order to Malik al-Ashtar

ثُمَّ اللهَ اللهَ فِي الطَّبَقَةِ السُّفْلَى مِنَ الَّذِينَ لاَ حِيلَةَ لَهُمْ وَالْمَسَاكِين وَالْـمُحْتَاجِينَ وَأَهْلِ الْبُؤْسَى وَالزَّمْنَى، فإِنَّ فِي هذِهِ الطَّبَقَةِ قَانِعاً وَمُعْتَرّاً، وَاحْفَظْ لله مَا اسْتَحْفَظَكَ مِنْ حَقِّهِ فِيهِمْ، وَاجْعَلْ لَهُمْ قِسمْاً مِنْ بَيْتِ مَالِكَ، وَقِسماً مِنْ غَلاَّتِ صَوَافِي الاْسْلاَمِ فِي كُلِّ بَلَد، فإِنَّ لِلاْقْصَى مِنْهُمْ مِثْلَ الَّذِي لِلاْدْنَى، وَكُلٌّ قَدِ اسْتُرْعِيتَ حَقَّهُ، فَلاَ يَشْغَلنَّكَ عَنْهُمْ بَطَرٌ، فَإِنَّكَ لاَ تُعْذَرُ بِتَضْيِيعِ التَّافِهَ لاِحْكَامِكَ الْكَثِيرَ الْمُهِمَّ. فَلاَ تُشْخِصْ هَمَّكَ عَنْهُمْ، وَلاَ تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لَهُمْوَتَفَقَّدْ أُمُورَ مَنْ لاَ يَصِلُ إِلَيْكَ مِنْهُمْ مِمَّنْ تَقْتَحِمُهُ الْعُيُونُ، وَتَحْقِرُهُ الرِّجَالُ، فَفَرِّغْ لاِولئِكَ ثِقَتَكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْخَشْيَةِ وَالتَّوَاضُع، فَلْيَرْفَعْ إِلَيْكَ أُمُورَهُمْ، ثُمَّ اعْمَلْ فِيهِمْ بَالاْعْذَارِ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى يَوْمَ تَلْقَاهُ، فَإِنَّ هؤُلاَءِ مِنْ بَيْنِ الرَّعِيَّةِ أَحْوَجُ إِلَى الاْنصَافِ مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ، وَكُلٌّ فَأَعْذِرْ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى فِي تَأْدِيَةِ حَقِّهِ إِلَيهِ وَتَعَهَّدْ أَهْلَ الْيُتْمِ وَذَوِي الرِّقَّةِ فِي السِّنِّ مِمَّنْ لاَ حِيلَةَ لَهُ، وَلاَ يَنْصِبُ لِلْمَسْأَلَةِ نَفْسَهُ، وَذلِكَ عَلَى الْوُلاَةِ ثَقِيلٌ، وَالْحَقُّ كُلُّهُ ثَقِيلٌ، وَقَدْ يُخَفِّفُهُ اللهُ عَلَى أَقْوَام طَلَبُوا الْعَاقِبَةَ فَصَبَرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ، وَوَثِقُوا بِصِدْقِ مَوْعُودِ اللهِ لَهُمْ. وَاجْعلْ لِذَوِي الْحَاجَاتِ مِنْكَ قِسْماً تُفَرِّغُ لَهُمْ فِيهِ شَخْصَكَ، وَتَجْلِسُ لَهُمْ مَجْلِساً عَامّاً، فَتَتَواضَعُ فِيهِ لله الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ، وَتُقعِدُ عَنْهُمْ جُنْدَكَ وَأَعْوَانَكَ مِنْ أَحْرَاسِكَ وَشُرَطِكَ، حَتَّى يُكَلِّمَكَ مُتَكَلِّمُهُمْ غَيْرَ مُتَعْتِع، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ(عليه السلام) يَقُولُ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْطِن: "لَنْ تُقَدَّسَ أُمَّةٌ لاَ يُؤْخَذُ لِلضَّعِيفِ فِيهَا حَقُّهُ مِنَ الْقَوِيِّ غَيْرَ مُتَعْتِع". ثُمَّ احْتَمِلِ الْخُرْقَ مِنْهُمْ وَالْعِيَّ، وَنَحِّ عَنْكَ الضِّيقَ وَالاْنَفَ، يَبْسُطِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ بَذلِكَ أَكْنَافَ رَحْمَتِهِ، وَيُوجِبُ لَكَ ثَوَابَ طَاعَتِهِ، وَأَعْطِ مَا أَعْطَيْتَ هَنِيئاً، وَامْنَعْ فِي إِجْمَال وَإِعْذَار