|
16ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الفَقرُ راحَةٌ، وَالغِنى عُقوبَةٌ. |
| 16– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Poverty is convenience, and wealth is punishment.’[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 44144] |
|
17ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الفَقرُ خَيرٌ مِن الغِنى، إلّا مَن حَمَلَ في مَغرَمٍ وأعطى في نائبَةٍ. |
| 17– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Poverty is better than wealth, save those who relieve others’ debts [with their own wealth] and give during tragedies.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 56, no. 86] |
|
18ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): ضَرَرُ الفَقرِ أحمَدُ مِن أشَرِ الغِنى. |
| 18– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The harm of poverty is more praiseworthy than the exuberance of wealth.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5904] |
|
19ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): في مُناجاةِ موسى (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) :يا موسى، إذا رَأيتَ الفَقرَ مُقبِلاً فَقُل: مَرحَبا بشِعارِ الصالِحينَ، وإذا رأيتَ الغِنى مُقبِلاً فَقُل: ذَنبٌ عُجِّلَت عُقوبَتُهُ. |
|
19– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) narrated, ‘Allah said in an intimate conversation with Moses (AS), ‘O Moses, when you see poverty coming, then say to it, ‘Welcome O mark of the righteous’, and when you see wealth coming, say, ‘A sin whose punishment has been hastened.’[al-Kafi,v. 2, p. 263, no. 12]
Al-Majlisi said, ‘The need to combine both types of traditions [praising and disparaging poverty] arose in order to portray that poverty and wealth are both bounties of Allah, most High. He gives each of them to whomsoever He wishes according to the complete benefit He knows for each. So the servant should endure his poverty, and furthermore be grateful for it, and be grateful for wealth when he is given it, and use it as necessary. So with both acting in accordance with what their individual situation requires of them, it is generally agreed that the persevering poor man is rewarded more than the grateful rich man. However the levels of their respective situations are completely different, and there can never be an absolute judgment about either side. It seems, therefore, that [a state of] sufficiency is safer and less dangerous than either of the two sides. Hence, the request for it [i.e. sufficiency] features in many supplications, and the Prophet (SAWA) would ask for it for himself and his household (AS).
Some have said that if this is so, then the best is what the Prophet (SAWA) and most of his companions have chosen in possessing less of the world and distancing oneself
from its pleasures.[ Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 31, no. 26]
|
