The Cost of Maintenance of Wealth

مَنْ عَظُمَتْ نِعْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اشْتَدَّتْ مَئُونَةُ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ فَاسْتَدِيمُوا النِّعْمَةَ بِاحْتِمَالِ الْمَئُونَةِ وَ لَا تُعَرِّضُوهَا لِلزَّوَالِ فَقَلَّ مَنْ زَالَتْ عَنْهُ النِّعْمَةُ فَكَادَتْ أَنْ تَعُودَ إِلَيْهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when one’s realization of the bounties of Allah becomes intense, it increases his spending for people. You should continue preserving bounties by means of bearing the cost of maintenance. Do not expose bounties to losses. Once bounties are lost, very rarely do they return.”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ تَظَاهَرَتْ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ نِعْمَةٌ إِلَّا اشْتَدَّتْ مَئُونَةُ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَقُمْ لِلنَّاسِ بِحَوَائِجِهِمْ فَقَدْ عَرَضَ النِّعْمَةَ لِلزَّوَالِ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَ مَنْ يَقْدِرُ أَنْ يَقُومَ لِهَذَا الْخَلْقِ بِحَوَائِجِهِمْ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا النَّاسُ فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ وَ اللَّهِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever finds himself with an abundance of Allah’s bounties, increases his spending for people. One who does not help people exposes the bounties to losses.’ I (the narrator) said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause. Who can spend to help all these creatures?’

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لِحُسَيْنٍ الصَّحَّافِ‌ يَا حُسَيْنُ مَا ظَاهَرَ اللَّهُ عَلَى عَبْدٍ النِّعَمَ حَتَّى ظَاهَرَ عَلَيْهِ مَئُونَةَ النَّاسِ فَمَنْ صَبَرَ لَهُمْ وَ قَامَ بِشَأْنِهِمْ زَادَهُ اللَّهُ‌ فِي نِعَمِهِ عَلَيْهِ عِنْدَهُمْ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَصْبِرْ لَهُمْ وَ لَمْ يَقُمْ بِشَأْنِهِمْ أَزَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَنْهُ تِلْكَ النِّعْمَةَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to Husayn al-Sahhaf, ‘O Husayn, whenever Allah grants abundant bounties to a person, his spending for people also increases. If one remains patient for spending on people, Allah increases the bounties for him before people. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, removes the bount

مَنْ عَظُمَتْ عَلَيْهِ النِّعْمَةُ اشْتَدَّتْ مَئُونَةُ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ هُوَ قَامَ بِمَئُونَتِهِمْ اجْتَلَبَ زِيَادَةَ النِّعْمَةِ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَقَدْ عَرَضَ النِّعْمَةَ لِزَوَالِهَا.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one who finds himself with abundant bounties, he increases his spending to help people also. If he continues spending for them, the bounties increase by the will of Allah, but if he does not, he exposes the bounties to loss.’”