As human beings, we are all equal. Some may be wealthy while others have less or even nothing, but this is merely a test from God. Those who have more should never look down on those who are less privileged.

The people who collect our garbage, clean our homes and keep our streets tidy are not ordinary. They are often referred to as “golden hands” because they sacrifice their own comfort and well-being to maintain the beauty of this world.

You might be a doctor, lawyer, engineer or anything else, but that does not make a cleaner’s profession any less important. Every job has its own responsibilities and value. Cleaners fulfil their duty with dignity, often showing respect towards others even when they receive none in return.

Nowadays, if even for one day our maids or household helpers take leave, our mothers become worried, and that’s just one person missing. Now imagine a world without any cleaners and garbage collectors. It would quickly become unrecognisable, dirty and unpleasant. No one would want to step outside.

In a world where people are judged by what they have rather than who they are, it is easy to forget a simple truth: no work is small and no human being is less deserving of respect

We should be truly thankful to the people who clean our surroundings. But if you pause for a moment and reflect honestly, you will realise how poorly we often treat them.

And how do we repay them? Too often, we shout at them for the smallest mistake or treat them rudely, simply because they are poor.

Everyone makes mistakes, but when these workers make even the smallest error, they are shouted at and treated harshly. Why? Because people know these individuals are helpless, that they work out of necessity and will quietly endure the mistreatment. But the silence of the oppressed does not go unheard, the Almighty responds in His own time to the injustice they suffer.

One of the biggest problems in our society today is that when a poor person cries and asks for help, we often assume they are pretending. Yet when we watch fictional dramas on television and see someone crying, we become emotional and moved. These workers are human beings too but, unfortunately, many people fail to recognise their humanity. They are burdened with excessive work, treated more like machines than people.

Some people even give their domestic workers leftover or spoilt food, or torn clothes they themselves would never wear. But why do we forget that they are human too? They have the same emotions, the same dignity and the same right to be treated with respect.

The moment you disrespect someone simply because they are poor or because of the nature of their work, you forget your own humanity.

People are pursuing higher education, but what is the value of such education if it does not teach respect? In that case, an illiterate person who knows how to show respect is better than someone with degrees, but no humility.

Two things truly reflect a person’s character: their patience when they have nothing and their behaviour when they have everything. Based on this, we can all take a moment to judge the kind of person we truly are.

Even wild animals are, in some ways, better than us, as they remember kindness and recognise injustice. We, on the other hand, often forget the sacrifices made by those who serve us silently. Despite being called the noblest of creatures, we disrespect those who give up so much to keep our world clean and beautiful.

We all remember the devastating earthquake that struck Balakot on October 8, 2005. It destroyed everything — lives were lost, homes were levelled and property vanished in an instant. This tragedy is a reminder of how fragile life and material things are. So what is the point of being arrogant about wealth or possessions, and belittling others? Yet, many still fail to understand this.

Have we ever stopped to think how it would feel if we were in their place? What if we were the ones being ignored, humiliated or fed what others would not touch?

We should be grateful to God for the blessings we have. But instead of showing gratitude, many of us anger Him by treating His creation as inferior. Oppressing the poor may seem like a small act to some, but when a poor person cries in pain, even if they do nothing in return, God listens.

So reflect. Change. Start today.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 11th, 2026