|
Whenever Imam Zainol Abedeen gave alms, he would kiss his own hands.
When they asked him the reason, he said:
*
*
121.
“Before alms is put in the hand of needy man, it is placed in God’s
hand.”
Imam Ali (AS) has said:
*
*
122.
“When you give alms to a needy man, the alms giver should kiss
his hand, for God receives the alms before it is put in the hand of the
needy man, since God is the Receiver of the alms.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
*
*
123.
“Alms given by a believer is put in the hand of God before it is
put in the needy man’s hand.”
Then the Holy Prophet recited verse 104 of the Quranic chapter
Tawbeh (Repentance):
*
*
“Do they not know that Allah accepts repentance from His servants and
takes the alms and that Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful?”
Imam Sadiq (AS) has been quoted as saying:
*
*
124.
“God says:
For every good deed I have appointed a deputy to receive it save
alms which I Myself
receive immediately.
A man or a woman may give one or half date as alms but I will make
it big as a colt grows into a horse and young camel grows into a camel
so as to meet Me on the Day of Judgment while one or half date has become
as big as Ohood Mountain.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
125.
“Increase your sustenance through alms-giving.”
One day Imam Sadeq said to his son “Mohammad
126.
My son, how much of allowance is left with you?
-Forty Dinars
-Take it out and give alms in the way of God.
-We have nothing other than this.
*
*
“Give it out in the way of God so that He will reward it to us.
Don’t you know that everything has a key and the key to sustenance
is alms?
Therefore give alms.”
The son of the Imam did so.
Ten days had hardly passed when forty thousand Dinars were sent
for the Imam by someone.
The Imam also said:
*
*
127.
“Alms-giving in the way of God will help repay debts and leave
blessings behind.”
The Imam further said:
*
*
128.
“Whenever you become destitute, do business with God through alms-giving.”
Imam Baqer (AS) has said:
*
*
129.
“Surely alms-giving repels seventy afflictions of the world including
a bad death.
Surely an alms-giver never dies a bad death.”
It is related that one day Jesus (AS) and his disciples were
sitting together when a man passed by them.
Jesus (AS) said to his disciples:
130.
“This man will die soon.
After the passage of some time, they noticed that the man passed
by them while he was carrying a load of wood.
The disciples asked: O spirit of God! you said he would die soon
where as he is still living.
Jesus said to that man: Put down your load of wood.
He did so and opened it.
They immediately saw that a big black snake with a stone in its
mouth was among the wood.
Jesus said to that man: What have you done today?
He said: O spirit of Allah, I had two loaves of bread.
I met a beggar.
I gave one of them to him (wee it not for his charity, that black
snake would bite and kill the man).
Imam Sadeq (AS) said:
*
*
131.
“Every person who gives alms, God will give a better recompense
to his children after his death.”
On verse 36 of the Quranic Chapter Hajj “...and feed the poor
man who is contented and beggar...”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has been quoted as saying:
*
*
132.
“The poor man who is contented is one who asks for something and
beggar is your friend.”
133.
Imam Sadeq (AS) was in Mena where a poor man came to him.
The Imam ordered a bunch of grapes to be given to him.
The poor man said:
I do not need it.
I need money.
The Imam said: My God increase your sustenance?
That man went on his way empty-handed.
Then another poor man came along and the Imam gave him three single
grapes.
The poor man took those three single grapes saying:
*
*
“praise is due to the Lord of the worlds”
who gave my sustenance.
The Imam who saw this scene said to him:
Wait.
The Imam said to his servant: how many Dirhams are on you?
He said: About twenty Dirhams.
The Imam said: Give all Dirhams to him.
The poor man took all Dirhams and said: praise is due to Allah
the Lord of the worlds.
O God! This bounty comes from you.
You are One and have no partner.
The Imam further said: Wait.
Then he took off the shirt
he was wearing and said: Put it on.
That man put on the shirt and said; Praise is due to Allah, that
gave a shirt and made me happy.
O servant of God! May God reward you.
With these words he said good bye and went away.
The narrator says: we were saying to ourselves: Had he not said
good bye, the Imam would have kept on giving away, for every time the
poor man said praise is due to Allah, the Imam would give him something.
Imam Sadeq (AS) said:
*
*
134.
“If a person gives alms and receives his reward, he should not
ever make a business with it or spend it, for the charity belongs to God
and no one should share it with God, for this wealth is like a slave who
has been set free and enslaving him again is not lawful.”
About a person who intended to give alms but the poor man had
gone away, it is related by Imam Sadeq (AS)
*
*
135.
“He should give it away and not return it to his own wealth.”
Charity is classified into five categories:
1- Charity on wealth which was discussed.
2- Charity
on position is when a man of position intercedes for saving believers.
The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
*
*
136.
“The best charity is the charity of tongue.
It was said: O Messenger of Allah, what is the charity of tongue?
The Holy Prophet said: It is intercession through which you can
set a captive free, prevent bloodshed, help your believing brother, and
expel evil from him.”
If you treat believing brother fairly with regard to wealth
and honor, these two will be safeguarded.
3- Charity
on wisdom is counsellorship.
In this relation, the holy Prophet said:
*
*
137.
“Show the right way to your believing brother with your knowledge
and protect him with your advice, for both are charity.”
4-
The charity on tongue is when one can put out the fire of differences
and make peace among them.
in verse 114 of the Quranic Chapter, the women (Nessa), God says:
*
*
“There is no good in most of their secret counsels except (in his)
who enjoins charity or goodness or reconciliation between people.....”
5-
The charity on knowledge is through is dissemination among those
who are entitle to it.
In this relation, the Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
*
*
138.
“One kind of charity is that one should learn and then teach to
people what he has learnt.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) also said:
*
*
139.
“The charity on knowledge is to teach it to one who does not know
it.”
It has been reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
140.
“Every thing is subject to charity and the harity on knowledge
is to one who is entitled to it.”
| Some
of the Etiquettes of Charity
|
|
Imam Ali Ibne Hussein (AS) has said:
*
*
254.
“Charity during night extinguishes God’s wrath.”
The Imam said to Abi Hamzah:
*
*
255.
“If you wish God to make you die cleansed, and to forgive you your
sins when meeting Him, do good, give charity secretly and observe ties
of kinship, for, these three acts, make you live long, remove poverty,
and ward off seventy kinds of bad deaths.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) was asked: which charity is the best?
The Holy Prophet (SAW) said:
*
*
256.
“Charity to kinsfolk who hide their enmity from you.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) was asked: To whom should we give charity,
to the beggar or needy relatives?
The Imam said:
*
*
257.
“Give charity to relatives, for it has greater reward.”
It has been reported on the authority of Imam Baqer (AS):
*
*
258.
“If you wish to give charity one day before Friday, leave it off
for Friday.”
*
*
259.
“Whoever quenches the thirst of another man, God will quench his
thirst from intact wine.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
260.
“The best kind of charity is to quench thirst.
Whoever quenches the thirst of others whether human or quadraped,
on the Day of Judgment when there is no shades save His shade He will
set a shade for him.”
Extras of life
This extra is a heavy burden on the shoulder of man, for what is
unlawful in this world will entail punishment and what is lawful is being
reckoned.
Abdul Ibne Omar says: I heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) saying:
*
*
261.
“My ummah are classified into three groups”:
*
*
“The first group are those who do not like to amass wealth;
they do not attempt to gain much wealth nor hoard it; they are content
with what keeps them alive and what covers their nakedness.
Whatever ensures their Hereafter is sufficient for them.
This group are secure and there is no fear for them.”
*
*
“The
second group are those who wish to obtain wealth in a legal way so as
to look into the affairs of their relative; do good to their brethren,
and help the poor.
For them, it is easier to eat stone than to gain a Dirham illegally
or not to give it to someone who is entitled to it until the day of death
and save it.
If any argument is made against them on the Day of Judgment, they
will be punished, and if forgiven, they will be secure.”
*
*
“The third group like to amass wealth; lawful and unlawful wealth
are indifferent to them; they abandon what is obligatory and are extravagant;
even when they do not spent, it is out of envy and hoarding; these are
people the reins of whose hearts are in the hands of the world so as to
enter Hell as a result of their sins.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
*
*
262.
“No one is allowed to gain wealth illegally and to give it as charity
and to be rewarded.
If he spends of that wealth, it has no blessings for him and if
the wealth survives him, it will put him in Fire.”
Imam Ali (AS) being asked about the worst kind of wretchedness,
said:
*
*
263.
“Whoever abandons the world for the sake of world, he has lost
both the world and is a loser in the Hereafter.
Whoever performs prayer and keeps fast in order to be seen by people
he is deprived of world and only labor is left for him, but if he had
devotion in it, he was entitled to reward.
Such a person enters the scene of the Day of Judgment while he
thinks he has with deeds which add to his good deeds whereas he finds
it gone with the wind.”
Imam Ali (AS) being asked to whom belongs the utmost degree
of regret, said:
“One
who sees his wealth in the scales of others while he enters Hell because
of unlawful wealth and his heirs will enter paradise because of the charity
they have given.”
Asked how is this possible, Imam Ali (AS) said:
*
*
“A brother told me the following story: I went to see a man
who was giving up the ghost.
He said to me: I have a hundred thousand Dirhams in this coffer
the alms of which I have not given.
What shall I do with it?
I said: What have you amassed it for?
He said to pay the tax levied by king, to puff before relatives,
for fear of poverty and for a rainy day.
The Imam said: The man had hardly left the house when he died.”
Then the Imam (AS) said:
*
*
“Praise is due to Allah who took him from this world with reproach
while he amassed the wealth illegally and had withheld the right of one
who was entitled to it, he had tied up the purse too, the wealth for the
amassing of which he had traversed deserts, cities and seas.
O you who dwell in this world! do not ever be deceived as that
man was deceived yesterday.
Surely the worst regret on the Day of Judgment belongs to one who
sees that his wealth is in the scales of other. they have gone to paradise
but he himself will go to Hell for the sake of his wealth.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
264.
“More regretful than that man is one who has amassed a huge wealth
with labor but he has ruined it with alms and charitable deeds, has spent
his youth and power in prayers but has considered no right for Ali Ibne
Abitaleb (AS), has not deemed a position for him in Islam and has considered
as superior those who were inferior to him in rank, who never ponder on
the Imams and whenever they reasoned with the Quranic Verses or Hadiths,
he would not accept, because he had gone astray.
This person has the maximum regret.
He enters the scene of the Day of Judgment while his charitable
deeds have taken the shape of vipers biting him, and his prayers taking
the shape of the angels, of Hell driving him to Hell.”
*
*
“He will say:
Woe to me, was I not among the worshippers?
Was I not among alms-givers?
Was I not one who had no covetous eye on the wealth of people and
their women?
Why then I have been so much afflicted?
*
*
“He is said: O wretched one! Your deed will not benefit
you, for you have ruined the greatest divine doctrine after belief in
god and prophethood.
You have not recognized the friend of Allah, Ali Ibne Abi Taleb
(AS) as he deserved and you have given in to the enemy of God instead.
If you had prayed from the beginning of the world to the
end of it, if you had spent all the wealth of the world instead of these
deeds, you would not have gained anything save becoming more aloof from
God and getting nearer to His wrath.”
It has been reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet
(SAW):
265.
Avoid too much wealth, for in the past a man had amassed a great
fortune for his children.
When the angel of death appeared at his house disguised as a poor
man and knocking at the door, the doormen opened the door.
The angel of death said: Tell your master to come out, I have some
business with them.
They said: Shall our master come to a person like you?
With this answer they kept the man from the door.
The angel of death came with the same appearance once again saying:
Tell your master to come out and inform him that I am death angel.
Hearing this, the master of the house was overwhelmed with fear.
At this time he sat down and said to his doormen: Speak to him
softly and say; May God bless you, perhaps you are looking for someone
else.
The angel of death said: No and entering the house, he said to
the master of house: make your will, for I have to take your life soon.
At this moment, the family members started weeping.
The man rose up and had all the coffers of gold and silver opened
and listed and then turned to the coffers swearing at them saying; May
God curse you! It was you who made me forget God.
You made me to be negligent of the Hereafter until they have given
the news of my death.
At this time God made his wealth speak saying: Why do you swear
at me?
You are to blame! You were mean in the eyes of people! It was me
who raised your position.
Was it not you who were present at royal courts and although there
were qualified person there but they would let you in before others?
Was it not you who proposed the girls of wealthy people along with
pious men but they would accept only you?
Had you spent me on charitable deeds, could I have prevented you?
Had you spent me for the cause of Allah, you would never had your
wealth decreased.
Now that you are in such a state you are swearing at me while you
yourself are to blame! We both have been created from dust.
I returned to that dust but you go to the sins you have committed
through me.
Then the angel of death said: Wealth speaks to its master in this
way!
| The
Sinister Result of Amassing Wealth
|
|
You should know that one who attempts to amass wealth is loser and unwise.
This can be proved with the following reasons:
1- He
has wronged himself for spending all his life seeking it, for if such
a man is among people, he is preoccupied by his wealth and if he is alone,
he cannot have a comfortable sleep for the fear of thief.
A learned man used to say: The poor have three characteristics:
They have sure knowledge about God being the only provider of food, they
have peace of mind, and their deeds are easily reckoned on the Day of
Judgment.
The
wealthy too have three characteristics: The labor they have tolerated
in seeking wealth, their mind being preoccupied with wealth, and a hard
reckoning.
2- They
have this preoccupation as to what they should do with their wealth and
how to have it increased, how to keep it from thieves and how to use them?
This group are in such a state until their death comes up all of
a sudden ruining their dreams and leaving the heavy burden of wealth on
their shoulders.
Prophet Jesus (AS) has said:
*
*
266.
“Woe to the worldly man! The way he dies and leaves the world,
he thought he was safe but the world deluded him.
He trusted the world but the world abased him.”
3- Amassing
wealth generates far-fetched desires, darkens heart and drives the sweetness
of prayer out of heart which is the worst kind of wretchedness in human
being.
Prophet Jesus (AS) says:
*
*
267. “I
truly say to you: As a sick person has a desire for food but because of
his being sick does not enjoy it, the worldly man will not enjoy his prayer
as long as the world tastes sweet to him, hence he cannot benefit from
the sweetness of prayer.”
*
*
“And I truly say to you, in the same way that if you do not get
on a horse for sometime and leave it for itself, it will be difficult
to ride on it afterwards, for the animal has become weak, if human hearts
are not soften by remembering death and prayer, they will become hard.”
*
*
“And I truly say to you if waterskin is not torn, it might be used
as honey container.
In the same way, if human hearts are not torn by lusts or polluted
by avarice, or they are not hardened by too many blessings, they can become
good receivers of wisdom.”
4- One
who amasses wealth, not only will not attain his aim but he will attain
the opposite, for the aim of endeavor is peace of mind but amassing of
wealth generates sorrows and troubles so much so that he will escape from
wealth as one escapes from snakes and fierce dogs.
A learned man says: A poor man lives in ease for three things but
the wealthy man is afflicted with them.
They said: what are those three things.
He said; The rulers’ tyranny, neighbours’ envy, and brothers’ flattery.
Commenting on this topic, Amiralmomenin (AS) says:
*
*
268.
“Destitution is better than neighbours’ envy, rulers’ tyranny and
relatives’ flattery.”
A poet says: One who amasses wealth in the world and treasures
it but is not fearful of its fate is as a silkworm which thinks its cocoon
will help it but the same will cause its death.
5- One
who amasses wealth, has purchased the world for his life whereas life
is the most precious asset both for the world and the Hereafter, for if
a wise man is asked to sell his life for the world, he will certainly
not accept, rather he is ready to give all his wealth for an additional
day in his life when meeting the angel of death.
Some of Heavenly Blessings
Have you not heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) as saying:
*
*
269.
“Whoever says: “sobhanallah” (Glory be to God), God will plant
ten trees for him in paradise having all kinds of fruit.”
These fruits taste pleasant and are of various kinds.
It has been related that when one eats fill of date, it will turn
into grape, and when one eats fill of grape, it will turn into fig and
pomegranate, that is to say, the fruits of these trees change with the
choice of man.
The Holy Prophet (SAW) says:
*
*
270.
“If a garment of those inhabiting paradise is sent for the people
in world, their eyes have not the power of looking at it and they will
die out of the pleasure of looking at it..”
When the description of garment is such, imagine the state of one
who wears it.
Imam Ali (AS) conveys the same meaning when he says:
*
*
271.
“If the eyes of your heart see the heavenly blessings described,
you will rush to join the deceased, that too with eagerness.”
When attention to the description of heavenly blessings is so beneficial,
how good will be to see those blessings themselves.
It has been reported on the authority of the Infallibles (AS):
*
*
272.
“Whatever is in this world is better to hear of than to see and
whatever is in the Hereafter is better to see than to hear of.”
In verse 20 of the Quranic chapter, the Man (Insan), God says:
*
*
“And when you see that good site, you shall see blessings and a great
kingdom.”
In the Old Testament, it has been pointed out:
*
*
273.
“I have prepared for My servants what no eyes have seen, no ears
have heard and no hearts have felt.”
Dear readers if you are interested in these blessings, you must
renounce the world, for renouncing the world is a provision for the Hereafter.
The world and the Hereafter are as two rival wives.
The more you make one of them content, the more the other one becomes
discontent.
Or they are as east and west.
The more you approach one, the farther you will be from the other.
In this relation Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
274.
“We human beings love the world.
But it is better the world is not given to us, for nothing was
ever given to the sons of Adam unless something was not reduced from the
benefit of hereafter.”
One must note that what is meant by “we human beings love the world”
refers to humanbeings love the world” refers to humankind and not the
Holy Prophet and his pure children(AS), for their dignity is above these
descriptions.
How is it possible when Gabriel come to the Holy Prophet three
times offering the key to paradise to him and saying:
*
*
275.
“These are the keys to the world treasures.
If you accept them, your position with your Lord will not be diminished
even a bit.”
Yet the Holy Prophet (SAW) refused to take them and he did not
overvalue what God had undervalued.
The world you purchase for this great blessing is not but a moment,
for, you can neither find its fromer pleasures nor its agonies and hardships.
The failure has not come either.
Therefore the world and its pleasures are only a moment.
It is for this reason that addressing Salman, the persian, Imam
Ali (AS) has said:
*
*
276.
Let not this world be your ambition, for it will be certainly separated
from you.”
In addition, we realize that no one has sold the Hereafter for
this world unless he has lost both.
Addressing the world, God says:
*
*
277.
“Serve one who serves Me and trouble one who is your servant.”
If you are busy with something, take the opportunity to remember
God and fill your book of deeds with virtues.
It is reported that whenever our Master, Ameeralmoamenin (AS) was
free from war, he was engaged in teaching people, judging among them and
when he was free from them, he started working in his own garden while
remembering God.
Hakam Ibne Marwan reports on the authority of Jobair Ibne Habib
that a problem had come up for Omar who could not solve.
He turned to Mohajereen saying: What is your opinion?
They said: O Ameeralmomenin! You are the authority! Are you asking
us?
Omar was embarrassed and said:
“O you who believe! He careful of Allah and speak the right word.”
By God both you and I know who can solve this problem.
They said: You mean Ali Ibne Abi Talib?
He said: Why didn’t people refer to him for solving their problem and
came to me?
Has any woman ever given birth to a son like him?
They said: Send for him.
Omar sighed and said: He is a great man of Bani Hashem tribe, a close
associate of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and the extention of his knowledge.
Go and bring him here.
People rushed to the imam and found him busy hoeing in a garden
while reciting verses 36-38 of the Quranic Chapter, the Resurrection,:
*
*
“Does man think that he is to be left to wander without an aim?
Was he not a small seed in the seminal elements, then he was a
clot of blood, so He created (him) then made (him) perfect.”
The Imam was reciting those verses while tears were running from
his eyes.
Seeing this, people started to weep too.
When they calmed down, Omar asked his question and the Imam answered
it.
Then Omar twisted his hands and said: God has chosen you but what
shall I do that these people did not accept you.
The Imam said:
*
*
278.
“O Omar, lower your voice”, then recited verse 17 of the Quranic
Chapter, the Great Event,:
* *
“Surely the day of decision is a day appointed.”
Omar returned while his face had become dark like night.
A poet says: “The world offered a high price of the world and whatever
it has.
Nevertheless, the world purchased my life free.
May perdition overtake the two hands of a dealer the selling partner
of which suffered loss.”
It has been reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet (SAW):
*
*
279.
“On the Day of Resurrection, twenty four treasures, that is, as
many as the hours of day and night are opened to the servants of God against
every day of life.
They open a treasure and he will find it replete with light and
joy for its owner.
seeing it, he will feel so happy that if they divide that happiness
among the inhabitants of Hell, they will be amazed and will not feel the
agony of the Fire.
These treasures are those hours he has worshipped God.”
*
*
“Then they will open another treasure.
He finds it dark, rotten, and horrifying.
Seeing it, he will cry so much that if ht e fear is divided among
the inhabitants of paradise, its blessings will become unpleasant for
them.
This treasure is the hours in which he has committed sins.”
*
*
“Then they open the third treasure.
He will find it empty.
It will make him neither sad nor happy.
This is the hours in which he has slept or been engaged in permissible
acts.
Here he will regret as to why he lost such moments while he could
replete it with good deeds beyond imagination.”
*
*
“Verse 9 of the Quranic chapter, Loss
and Gain (Taghabun), conveys same meaning: “That is the day of loss.”
| The
Positive Result of Poverty (contentment)
|
|
Do not ever let Satan’s temptation affect you and say
through your tongue; I will benefit from what is permissible and Godly
blessings, perform what is obligatory, discharge what is right, and as
God says, in verse 32 of the Quranic chapter, the Elevated places (Araf):
*
*
“Say: Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah which He
has brought forth His servants and the good provisions?”
Therefore I will benefit from delicious food, elegant clothes,
luxurious cars and houses, for these can not prevent me from entering
paradise.
However, you should know that this is the argument of unwise and
arrogant people for the following reasons:
1-
One who goes after luxury and is absorbed in it, can not keep away
from the blameworthy vice of avarice and will be certainly led into error
which will certainly ruin him.
2-
Given that he is safe from avarice, how can he escape from hard
heartedness and arrogance while in verse 6-7 of the Quranic Chapter, the
Clot (Alaq), God says:
*
*
“Nay!
man is most surely inordinate, because he sees himself free from want.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
*
*
280.
“Keep you away from extra food, for it will leave the stain of
hardheartedness on your heart.”
Hessan Ibne Yahya reports on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS)
281.
“ A poor man came to the Holy Prophet (SAW) near whom a wealthy
man was sitting.
As soon as the poor man entered, the wealthy man shrank from him.
The Holy Prophet (SAW) said to him: What happened that you moved
back from this man?
Did you fear that his poverty might get to you or your wealth to
get to him,
The wealthy man said; Now that you said so, I will give half of
my wealth to this man.
The Holy Prophet turned to the poor man and said: Do you accept
it from him?
He said: No!
The Holy Prophet said: Why? The Poor man said: I am afraid of becoming
like him.”
The Holy Prophet has also said:
*
*
282.
“In the Gospel we read: Prophet Jesus (AS) said to God: O God!
give me loaf of oat bread in morning and one in the evening.
Do not give me more for it might make me disobey You.”
3-
The sweetness of prayer and Du go out of his heart.
4-
On departing from the world, a wealthy man regrets.
But on the contrary, a poor man becomes happy.
It has been reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
283.
“The more a person is engaged in world, the more he will regret
at the time of death.”
5-
The poor will enter paradise sooner than others while the wealthy
have to wait on the scene of Judgment Day for reckoning.
Imam Ali (AS) has said:
*
*
284.
“Make your burden light to join the convoy, for the dead are awaiting
the living ones.”
It is reported that Salman, the Persian was expressing regret
at that time of death.
They said to him: O Aba Abdullah! What are you regretting at?
He said: I do not regret at world.
My regret is because the Holy Prophet took a pledge from us and
said:
*
*
285.
“Let your simple way of living be as light as the load of an animal.”
I fear to have transgressed the order of the Holy Prophet while
all this wealth is at my side.
At this time Salman referred to a pillow, a sword and a bowl which
were all his wealth.
Aboozar said to the Holy Prophet (SAW): O Messenger of Allah,
will those who fear God, are humble and remember God frequently, go to
paradise before others?
The Holy Prophet (SAW)
said:
*
*
286.
“No, rather the poor believers put their feet on the necks of
people on the necks of people on the Day of Judgment.
At this time, the guards of paradise say to them: Stand where you
are so that your deeds will be reckoned.
They say: What for?
By God, we had nothing for which to be unjust.
God did not give us anything to give away or not to give away.
We kept on serving God until our death came.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
287.
“The poor believers enter paradise forty autumns before the wealthy
ones do.”
Then the Imam (AS) said:
*
*
“I tell a parable for you: It is the parable of two ships which
an inspector visits.
One is empty and when the inspector visits it, he says: Let it
go but inspecting the other, he finds it full.
Here he will say: Stop this one.”
I has been reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
* *
288.
“On the Day of Judgment, two believers who are entitled to paradise,
are brought for reckoning.
One is poor and the other is wealthy.
The poor believer says: O God! Why should I stop here?
By Your Glory! You know well that You did not give me authority
to be just.
You did not give me wealth to give alms.
My sustenance, according to Your will, was sufficient, God says;
My servant is right, open the way for him to enter paradise.
But He keeps the other one waiting until sweat shed by him can
quench the thirst of forty camels.
It is only then that he will enter paradise.
There, the poor believer says to him;
What kept you behind?
He will say: Reckoning was long.
A question was being raised and God would forgive it.
Then other questions were asked and God would forgive it.
Then other questions were asked and God extended His Mercy to me
and made me join those who repent.
But now tell me and made me join those who repent.
But now tell me who you are?
The other one says; I am the poor believer who was with you before.
Then the wealthy believer says: The heavenly blessings have completely
changed you.”
6-
The needy believer is respected and favored by God on the Day of
Judgment.
In this relation Imam Sadeq (AS) says:
* *
289.
“In the same way that a brother makes an apology to a brother,
God too, on the Day of Judgment, makes apology to a needy believer and
will say: By My Glory! I did not make you poor to abase you.
Remove the curtain and see what I have given you in exchange?
This believer looks at what God has given him instead and will
say: O God! I have not lost anything in this deal.”
7-
Poverty is the ornament of prophets and the motto of the righteous
ones.
God sent the following revelation to prophet Moses (AS):
*
*
290.
“Whenever you see poverty is coming to you, say: Bravo to the motto
of the righteous ones.
And when you see wealth is coming to you, say: It is a sin whose
punishment has been hastened.”
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