The Excellence of the Poor Muslims

إِنَّ فُقَرَاءَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ‌[1] يَتَقَلَّبُونَ فِي رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ قَبْلَ أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ بِأَرْبَعِينَ خَرِيفاً[2] ثُمَّ قَالَ سَأَضْرِبُ لَكَ مَثَلَ ذَلِكَ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ ذَلِكَ مَثَلُ سَفِينَتَيْنِ مُرَّ بِهِمَا عَلَى عَاشِرٍ[3] فَنَظَرَ فِي إِحْدَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يَرَ فِيهَا شَيْئاً فَقَالَ أَسْرِبُوهَا[4] وَ نَظَرَ فِي الْأُخْرَى فَإِذَا هِيَ مَوْقُورَةٌ[5] فَقَالَ احْبِسُوهَا.

“The poor Muslims will stroll in the gardens of paradise forty years before the wealthy Muslims. An example of this is the case of two ships arriving at the tax collector’s post. The tax collector searches one of the ships and finds it empty. He withdraws and the ship is free to go. But he finds the other ship fill of

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ الْمَصَائِبُ مِنَحٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ‌[6] وَ الْفَقْرُ مَخْزُونٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Misfortunes are gifts from Allah and poverty is in His treasure.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ يَا عَلِيُّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَعَلَ الْفَقْرَ أَمَانَةً عِنْدَ خَلْقِهِ فَمَنْ سَتَرَهُ أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ مِثْلَ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ وَ مَنْ أَفْشَاهُ إِلَى مَنْ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَضَاءِ حَاجَتِهِ فَلَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَقَدْ قَتَلَهُ أَمَا إِنَّهُ مَا قَتَلَهُ بِسَيْفٍ وَ لَا رُمْحٍ وَ لَكِنَّهُ قَتَلَهُ بِمَا نَكَى‌[1] مِنْ قَلْبِهِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘O Ali, Allah has made poverty a trust in His creatures. Whoever hides it, Allah grants him a reward equal to the reward for a fasting person who stands at night to worship Allah. One who reveals it to a person, who is able to help but does not help, it is then as if he has killed him.

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ كُلَّمَا ازْدَادَ الْعَبْدُ إِيمَاناً ازْدَادَ ضِيقاً فِي مَعِيشَتِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘As the belief of a person increases in strength, his poverty intensifies.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ لَوْ لَا إِلْحَاحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى اللَّهِ فِي طَلَبِ الرِّزْقِ لَنَقَلَهُمْ مِنَ الْحَالِ الَّتِي هُمْ فِيهَا إِلَى حَالٍ أَضْيَقَ مِنْهَا.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Had it not been due to the believers’ pleading before Allah to increase their sustenance, He would have moved them to a poorer condition.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَا أُعْطِيَ عَبْدٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا اعْتِبَاراً وَ مَا زُوِيَ عَنْهُ إِلَّا اخْتِبَاراً.

“Whatever a servant is given of worldly things is to make him learn a lesson and whatever is withheld from him is to place him under the trial.’”

لَيْسَ لِمُصَاصِ شِيعَتِنَا[2] فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا الْقُوتُ شَرِّقُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ أَوْ غَرِّبُوا لَنْ تُرْزَقُوا إِلَّا الْقُوتَ.

“For our pure Shi’a (followers) there is nothing under the rule of the unjust power more than bare necessities. Westernize or Easternize, you will never gain more than bare necessities.”

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص‌ يَا عَلِيُّ الْحَاجَةُ أَمَانَةُ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ خَلْقِهِ فَمَنْ كَتَمَهَا عَلَى نَفْسِهِ أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ ثَوَابَ مَنْ صَلَّى وَ مَنْ كَشَفَهَا إِلَى مَنْ يَقْدِرُ أَنْ يُفَرِّجَ عَنْهُ وَ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَقَدْ قَتَلَهُ أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَقْتُلْهُ بِسَيْفٍ وَ لَا سِنَانٍ وَ لَا سَهْمٍ وَ لَكِنْ قَتَلَهُ بِمَا نَكَى مِنْ قَلْبِهِ.

“The Holy Prophet has said, ‘O Ali, the need (poverty) is Allah’s trust with His creatures. Whoever keeps it secret Allah grants him a reward equal to that for one who prays, but if he reveals it to one who is able to help and does not help he has killed him, not with a sword or spears, but has killed him by breaking h

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَلْتَفِتُ- يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلَى فُقَرَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ شَبِيهاً بِالْمُعْتَذِرِ إِلَيْهِمْ فَيَقُولُ وَ عِزَّتِي وَ جَلَالِي مَا أَفْقَرْتُكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا مِنْ هَوَانٍ بِكُمْ عَلَيَّ وَ لَتَرَوُنَّ مَا أَصْنَعُ بِكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فَمَنْ زَوَّدَ أَحَداً مِنْكُمْ فِي دَارِ الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفاً فَخُذُوا بِيَدِهِ فَأَدْخِلُوهُ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ فَيَقُول

9. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sa’dan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘On the Day of Judgment Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, will turn to the poor believing people, similar to an apologetic one, and will say, “I swear by M

مَا كَانَ مِنْ وُلْدِ آدَمَ مُؤْمِنٌ إِلَّا فَقِيراً وَ لَا كَافِرٌ إِلَّا غَنِيّاً حَتَّى جَاءَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ع فَقَالَ- رَبَّنا لا تَجْعَلْنا فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا[2] فَصَيَّرَ اللَّهُ فِي هَؤُلَاءِ أَمْوَالًا وَ حَاجَةً وَ فِي هَؤُلَاءِ أَمْوَالًا وَ حَاجَةً.

“There was no one of the children of Adam who was a believer but that was poor and there was no one of the children of Adam who was an unbeliever but that was rich until Ibrahim came. He said, ‘O Lord, save us from the evil intentions of the unbelievers. . . .’ (60:5) Thereafter Allah made these (believing people) rich

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ مُوسِرٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص نَقِيُّ الثَّوْبِ فَجَلَسَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص‌[3] فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مُعْسِرٌ دَرِنُ الثَّوْبِ فَجَلَسَ إِلَى جَنْبِ الْمُوسِرِ فَقَبَضَ الْمُوسِرُ ثِيَابَهُ مِنْ تَحْتِ فَخِذَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَ خِفْتَ‌ أَنْ يَمَسَّكَ مِنْ فَقْرِهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَخِفْتَ أَنْ يُصِيبَهُ مِنْ غِنَاكَ شَيْ‌ءٌ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَخِفْتَ أَنْ يُوَسِّخَ ثِيَابَكَ قَا

“Once a wealthy man in clean clothes came to the Messenger of Allah and sat down near the Messenger of Allah. Thereafter a poor man in not so clean clothes came and sat next to the wealthy man who then pulled his clothes away from underneath the thighs of the poor man. The Messenger of Allah then asked the wealthy man,

فِي مُنَاجَاةِ مُوسَى ع يَا مُوسَى إِذَا رَأَيْتَ الْفَقْرَ مُقْبِلًا فَقُلْ مَرْحَباً بِشِعَارِ الصَّالِحِينَ وَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَ الْغِنَى مُقْبِلًا فَقُلْ ذَنْبٌ عَجِلَتْ عُقُوبَتُهُ‌[2].

“It is in the conversation of Moses, ‘O Moses, when you see poverty coming say, “Welcome to the way of life of the virtuous people. When, you see wealth coming, say, ‘It is a sin. I wanted to experience its punishment early (before the Day of Judgment).”’

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص‌ طُوبَى لِلْمَسَاكِينِ بِالصَّبْرِ وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ يَرَوْنَ‌ مَلَكُوتَ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ‌.

“The Holy Prophet has said, ‘Tuba (a tree in paradise) is for the destitutes who bear patience and they are the ones who observe the kingdom of heavens and earth.’”

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص‌ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمَسَاكِينِ طِيبُوا نَفْساً وَ أَعْطُوا اللَّهَ الرِّضَا مِنْ قُلُوبِكُمْ يُثِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى فَقْرِكِمْ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَلَا ثَوَابَ لَكُمْ.

“The Holy Prophet has said, ‘O destitute people, rejoice and be happy wholeheartedly with Allah. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will reward you because of your poverty, if you did not do so, you will not receive any rewards.”

إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى مُنَادِياً يُنَادِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ‌[3] أَيْنَ الْفُقَرَاءُ فَيَقُومُ عُنُقٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ كَثِيرٌ فَيَقُولُ عِبَادِي فَيَقُولُونَ لَبَّيْكَ‌ رَبَّنَا فَيَقُولُ إِنِّي لَمْ أُفْقِرْكُمْ لِهَوَانٍ بِكُمْ عَلَيَّ وَ لَكِنِّي إِنَّمَا اخْتَرْتُكُمْ‌[1] لِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ تَصَفَّحُوا وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ فَمَنْ صَنَعَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَعْرُوفاً لَمْ يَصْنَ

“When it will be the Day of Judgment, Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, will command an announcer to announce and call before Him, ‘Where are the poor people?’ certain heads will rise and they will be many. Allah will say, ‘My servants.’ They will say, ‘Yes, our Lord.’ Allah will say, ‘I did not make you poor con

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ لَوْ لَا إِلْحَاحُ هَذِهِ الشِّيعَةِ عَلَى اللَّهِ فِي طَلَبِ الرِّزْقِ لَنَقَلَهُمْ مِنَ الْحَالِ الَّتِي هُمْ فِيهَا إِلَى مَا هُوَ أَضْيَقُ مِنْهَا[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Had it not been for this Shi’a’s (followers) insistence on receiving more sustenance from Allah He would have moved them from their present condition to a more severe poverty.”

قَالَ لِي أَ مَا تَدْخُلُ السُّوقَ أَ مَا تَرَى الْفَاكِهَةَ تُبَاعُ وَ الشَّيْ‌ءَ مِمَّا تَشْتَهِيهِ فَقُلْتُ بَلَى فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّ لَكَ بِكُلِّ مَا تَرَاهُ فَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى شِرَائِهِ حَسَنَةً.

“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) asked me, ‘Do you want to go to the market where fruits and things that you desire are sold?’ I said, ‘Yes, 1 like to go.’ The Imam said, ‘However, for everything that you like to buy but cannot buy there is a reward of one good deed for you.’”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ لَيَعْتَذِرُ إِلَى عَبْدِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ الْمُحْوِجِ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَمَا يَعْتَذِرُ الْأَخُ إِلَى أَخِيهِ فَيَقُولُ وَ عِزَّتِي وَ جَلَالِي مَا أَحْوَجْتُكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا مِنْ هَوَانٍ كَانَ بِكَ عَلَيَّ فَارْفَعْ هَذَا السَّجْفَ‌[4] فَانْظُرْ إِلَى مَا عَوَّضْتُكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا قَالَ فَيَرْفَعُ فَيَقُولُ مَا ضَرَّنِي مَا مَنَعْتَنِي مَعَ مَا عَوَّضْتَنِي.

“Allah, the Most Exalted of praise, will apologize to His believing servants who are poor in this world just as a brother apologizes to a brother and He will say, ‘I swear by my Majesty and Glory that I did not make you poor in the world considering you insignificant. Remove this curtain and look what I have given you

إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ قَامَ عُنُقٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ حَتَّى يَأْتُوا بَابَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَضْرِبُوا بَابَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ مَنْ أَنْتُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ نَحْنُ الْفُقَرَاءُ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَ قَبْلَ‌ الْحِسَابِ- فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَعْطَيْتُمُونَا شَيْئاً تُحَاسِبُونَّا عَلَيْهِ فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ صَدَقُوا ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ.

“When it will be the Day of Judgment certain necks of people will rise, approach the door of paradise and knock on it. They will be asked, ‘Who are you?’ They will say, ‘We are the poor people.’ They will be told, ‘Show your accounts.’ They will say, ‘You did not give us anything. Why do you ask us for accounts?’ Allah

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ إِنِّي لَمْ أُغْنِ الْغَنِيَّ لِكَرَامَةٍ بِهِ عَلَيَّ وَ لَمْ أُفْقِرِ الْفَقِيرَ لِهَوَانٍ بِهِ عَلَيَّ وَ هُوَ مِمَّا ابْتَلَيْتُ بِهِ الْأَغْنِيَاءَ بِالْفُقَرَاءِ وَ لَوْ لَا الْفُقَرَاءُ لَمْ يَسْتَوْجِبِ الْأَغْنِيَاءُ الْجَنَّةَ.

“I heard abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.) saying, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, says, “I have not made certain people rich because they are important to Me and I have not made certain people poor because they are insignificant to Me. It is because I wanted to try the rich through the poor. Had there been no poor,

أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَيَاسِيرُ شِيعَتِنَا أُمَنَاؤُنَا عَلَى مَحَاوِيجِهِمْ فَاحْفَظُونَا فِيهِمْ يَحْفَظْكُمُ اللَّهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Our wealthy Shi’a (followers) are our trustees for our poor Shi’a. Protect us by protecting them (the poor Shi’a).”’

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ الْفَقْرُ أَزْيَنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ مِنَ الْعِذَارِ عَلَى خَدِّ الْفَرَسِ‌[1].

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘Poverty is more beautifying for the believers than the best decorated harness with ornament is for the head of a horse.’”

سَأَلْتُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ لَوْ لا أَنْ يَكُونَ النَّاسُ‌ أُمَّةً واحِدَةً قَالَ عَنَى بِذَلِكَ أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ ص أَنْ يَكُونُوا عَلَى دِينٍ وَاحِدٍ- كُفَّاراً كُلَّهُمْ‌ لَجَعَلْنا لِمَنْ يَكْفُرُ بِالرَّحْمنِ‌ لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفاً مِنْ فِضَّةٍ[2] وَ لَوْ فَعَلَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ بِأُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص لَحَزِنَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَ غَمَّهُمْ ذَلِكَ وَ لَمْ يُنَاكِحُوهُمْ و

“Once I asked Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Were it not that all people would become one nation, . . .’ - and the Imam said, ‘It (all people) stands for the followers of Muhammad (a.s.) all of whom might turn to disbelief, - ‘ ... We would have made for the unbeli