الفَقرُ

POVERTY

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2–The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘O Allah I seek refuge in You from infidelity and poverty.’ A person asked, ‘Are these two equivalent?’ He said, ‘Yes.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 16687]

3– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘If it was not for my Lord's mercy on the poor of my community, poverty would just about be infidelity.’
[Jami`a al-Akhbar, p. 300 no. 817]

4– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Poverty is blackness of the face in the two worlds.’
[`Aaw`ali al-La’ali, v. 1, p. 40, no. 41]

5– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Poverty is worse than killing.’
[Jami`a al-Akhbar, p. 299, no. 816]

6– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Poverty is the greater death.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 319]

7– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Poverty silences the sagacious from his proof, and a poor person is a foreigner in his own country.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 3]

8– Imam Ali (AS), speaking to his son Imam Hasan (AS), said, ‘Do not blame a person who tries to seek his ration, for he who does not have a ration, his mistakes increase. O son, a poor person is humiliated, his words are not heard, and his status is not recognized. If a poor person speaks the truth, they call him a liar, and if he is an ascetic, they call him ignorant. O son, those who are tried with poverty are tested in four things: weakness in their certainty, deficiency in their intellect, fragility in their devotion, and lack of shame on their face. So, we seek refuge in Allah from poverty.’
[Jami`a al-Akhbar, p. 300, no. 818]

9– Imam Ali (AS), speaking to his son Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya, said, ‘O son, I fear for you because of poverty, so seek refuge in Allah from it, for poverty brings diminishment in one’s faith, confusion to the intellect and a motive for hatred.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 319]

10– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Poverty in one’s homeland is like being foreign in it.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 56]

11- The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Poverty is my honour, and I am proud of it.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 55, no. 85]

12– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The poor are the friends of Allah.’
[al-Firdaws, v. 3, p. 157, no. 4423]

13– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘O Allah, revive me as a destitute, and make me meet death as a destitute, and resurrect me among the destitute.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 16669]

14– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Poverty is more decorative for a believer than a beauty spot on the cheek of a horse.’
[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 265, no. 22]

15– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Calamities are endowments from Allah, and poverty is stored with Allah.’
[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 260, no. 2]

16– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Poverty is convenience, and wealth is punishment.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 44144]

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]

18– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The harm of poverty is more praiseworthy than the exuberance of wealth.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5904]

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]

20– Bihar al-Anwar: ‘It is narrated in the scriptures of Prophet Enoch (AS)
[Prophet Enoch (AS) is known as Idris in the Arabic tradition (ed.)]: There is no wealth with those who are not in need of Me, and there is no poverty for those who are in want of Me.
[ Bihar al-Anwar, v. 95, p. 462]

21– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘O people! … Who are the utterly destitute?’ They said, ‘A person who does not have any money.’He said, ‘No, rather the real destitute is he who has not offered any of his money regarding it to be for Allah, even though he has a lot more after that.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 150, no. 86]

22– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘
[True] Poverty is the poverty of the heart.
[ Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 56, no. 86]

23– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘There is no poverty like ignorance.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 54]

24– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The greatest of poverty is stupidity.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, Saying 38]

25– Imam Ali (AS), when asked what was the severest of poverty, said, ‘Disbelief after faith.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 377, no. 1]

26– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Poverty of the soul is the most evil poverty.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6547]

27– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Wealth and poverty come after submission to Allah.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 452]

28– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘There will remain no poverty after Heaven, and no wealth after the Hellfire.’
[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 216]

29– Imam Hasan (AS), when asked about poverty, said, ‘It is the greed of the self for everything.’
[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 225]

30– Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘Poverty is the greed of the self and the extremity of despair.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 368, no. 3]

31– Imam al-Sadiq (AS), when asked about the
[meaning of the] saying of Abu Dharr: “There are three things that people hate but I love: I love death and I love poverty and I love tribulation”, said, ‘This is not as they have understood it. What he meant is that death in the obedience of Allah is more beloved to me than a life of disobedience to Allah; poverty in the obedience of Allah is more beloved to me than wealth
[accompanied] with disobedience to Allah, and tribulation
[accompanied] with obedience to Allah is more beloved to me than good health with disobedience to Allah.’
[Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 165, no. 1]

32– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Poverty with us
[i.e. our guardianship] is better than wealth with other than us, and death with us is better than life with other than us.’
[al-Khara`ij wa al-Jara`ih, v. 2, p. 739, no. 54]

33– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Wealth that prevents you from oppression is better than poverty that drives you to sin.’
[al-Faqih, v. 3, p. 166, no. 3614]

34– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Poverty is red death.’ The narrator said, ‘I asked Abu `Aabdullah
[al-Sadiq] (AS), ‘Poverty of dinars and dirhams?’ He said, ‘No, rather poverty in one’s faith.’
[al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 266, no. 2]

35– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Whoever degrades a believer, male or female, or humiliates him because of his poverty or lack of ability, Allah, most High, will promulgate him on the Day of Resurrection and then disgrace him.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 44, no. 52]

36– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Do not humiliate the weak ones from among your brethren; for whoever humiliates a believer, Allah Almighty will not bring them together in Heaven until he repents.’
[al-Khisal, p. 614, no. 10]

37– Imam al-Rida (AS) said, ‘Whoever meets a poor Muslim and greets him differently to the way he would greet a rich person, will meet Allah, Mighty and Exalted, on the Day of Judgment, and He will be angry with him.’
[Amali al-Saduq, p. 359, no. 5]

38– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Keeping relationships with one’s kin prolongs one’s life and repels poverty.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 103, no. 61]

39– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Cure poverty with charity and giving generously.’
[al-Khisal, p. 9, no. 22]

40– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, ‘Righteousness and almsgiving in secret banishes poverty.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 81, no. 83]

41– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘I guarantee that those who economize will never fall poor.’
[al-Khisal, p. 9, no. 32]

42– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘He who acts poor will become poor.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 316, no. 6]

43– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Trustworthiness attracts wealth, and treachery attracts poverty.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 114, no. 6]

44– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Poverty is decreed on those who indulge in it - meaning the world (dunyÁ) - and those who turn away from it will be helped with ease.’
[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, p. 221]

45– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Whoever opens the door of begging to themselves Allah will open for them a door of poverty.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 103, p. 20, no. 4]

46– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said to Abu Nu`aman, ‘Do not earn a living from people through us
[i.e. in our name], for by that Allah will increase you in nothing but poverty.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 184, no. 11]

47– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) narrated from his forefathers (AS), saying, ‘Whoever does not ask for Allah’s grace will be empoverished.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 316, no. 6]

48– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Any man who invokes Allah against his son will be empoverished.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 104, p. 99, no. 77]

49– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Allah, Exalted be His praise, apologizes to His believing servant who is needy in this world the same way that a brother would apologize to his fellow brother, saying, ‘By my Honour and Majesty, I did not make you needy in this world because you were low in My view, so raise this veil and look at what I have compensated you with for this world.’ He (AS) then said, ‘And he will then raise his head and exclaim, ‘That which You deprived me of does not harm me when offset against that which you have compensated me with.’
[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 264, no. 18]

50– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Allah has made poverty a trust with His creation. So, those who conceal it, Allah will give them the equivalent of the reward of a fasting and praying person.’
[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 260, no. 3]

51– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Self-restraint is the adornment of poverty.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 68]

52– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘The hardest thing to store is hiding one’s neediness.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 249, no. 87]

53– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Blessed are the needy for their patience, and they are the ones who will see the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth.’
[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 263, no. 13]

54– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The poor will be the kings of the people of Heaven. All people long for Heaven, whereas Heaven itself longs for the poor.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 49, no. 58]

55– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘I gazed into Heaven, and I saw that most of its people were the poor.’
[Musnad Ibn Hanbal, v. 1, p. 504, no. 2086]

56– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Whoever dies and does not leave behind him a dirham or dinar, there is no person that will enter Heaven richer than him.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p. 267, no. 17]

57– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘The last of the Prophets to enter Heaven will be Solomon, because of what he was given in this world.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 52, no. 76]

58– Imam al-Sadiq (AS), speaking to Muhammad al-Khazzaz, said, ‘Do you not go to the market? Do you not see the fruit that is sold, and the things that you desire?’ al-Khazzaz said, ‘Yes.’ He (AS) said, ‘For everything you see but you cannot
[afford to] buy, you receive the reward of a good deed.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 25, no. 19]

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* 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]
Al-Raghib has said in his al-Mufradat: the word poverty is used with four meanings.
The first: the need for bare necessities, which generally applies to the human being, as long as he dwells in the realm of this world, or rather, it is general for all existing beings, and this is what is meant in His verse in the Qur’an: “O mankind! You are the ones who stand in need of Allah, and Allah - He is the All-sufficient, the All- laudable.”
[ Qur`an 35:15]
The second: lack of acquisitions, which is mentioned in His verse in the Qur’an: “
[The charities are] for the poor who are straitened in the way of Allah – until His verse: “…Charities are only for the poor and the needy.”
[Qur`an 9:60]
The third: poverty of the self, which is voracious greed, denoted by the Prophet (SAWA)’s saying, ‘Poverty is almost infidelity’, and is opposite to his saying, ‘
[True] Wealth is the wealth of the soul.’
The fourth: needlessness of Allah, referred to in his (SAWA) saying, 'O Allah, enrich me through making me needy of You, and do not empoverish me through needlessness of You.' This is what is meant in Allah’s verse in the Qur’an: “My Lord! Indeed I am in need of any good You may send down to me.”
[ Qur`an 28:24]
[Mufradat Alfau al-Quran, p. 641]