“O my Affluence in my poverty…”[^7] The Holy Prophet (s) is...

“O my Affluence in my poverty…”[^7] The Holy Prophet (s) is also reported to have prayed: أَللٌّهُمَّ أَغْنِنِي بِالاِفْتِقَِارِ إِلَيْكَ، وَلاَ تُفْقَرْنِي بالاِسْتِغْنَاءِ عَنْكَ. “O Allāh: Make me needless by becoming needy of You, and do not make me poor by being needless of You.”[^8] The Abominable Poverty This is the poverty from which we direly seek release.

If poverty obstructs us from availing ourselves of the basic necessities of life, that can enable us attain nearness to God, it is indeed something that we detest. If poverty makes us forget the Hereafter instead of making us alert about the Creator, then it is something that we should seek refuge from. Any poverty that separates us from the path or the goal is abominable. It is from such poverty that we should seek emancipation.

Following are allusions to such kinds of poverty: The Holy Prophet (s) is reported to have said to Imām ‘Alī (as): يَا عَلِيُّ: لاَ فَقْرَ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْجَهْلِ.

“…O ‘Alī, there is no poverty more severe than ignorance…”[^9] Safwān bin Mihrān al-Jammāl is reported to have narrated from Imām al-Sādiq (as) that he said: …لاَ فَقْرَ أَحَطُّ مِنَ الْحُمْقِ… “…There is no poverty more degenerate than silliness ( humq )…”[^10] One reason for this may be that ‘silliness’ deprives one from both material as well as spiritual progress. The Holy Prophet (s) is reported to have said: أَفْقَرُ النَّاسِ الطَّمَّاعُ.

“The poorest among the people is the greediest.”[^11] This is because such a person is never satisfied, and instead of employing the means of livelihood for the main aim behind his creation he engages in the world and forgets the Hereafter. It is from such an attitude that we always seek refuge after our zuhr prayers when we say: أَللٌّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نَفْسٍ لا تَشْبَعُ.

“O Allāh, I seek refuge with You from the soul that does not get satisfied.”[^12] Imām ‘Alī (as) is reported to have said: رُبَّ غَنِيٌّ أَفْقَرُ مِنْ فَقِيرٍ. “Many a time there is a rich person who is poorer than a poor person.”[^13] Emphasizing the poverty that is really abominable, The Holy Prophet (s) is reported to have said: أَلفَقْرُ فَقْر الْقَلْبِ.

“Poverty is the poverty of the heart.” The Holy Qur’ān also alludes to this fact when it describes the Judgment Day as:  يَوْمَ لاَ يَنْفَعُ مَالٌ وَلاَ بَنُونَ.

✦ ✦ ✦