The reward of one who receives (earns) and is thankful is...

The reward of one who receives (earns) and is thankful is the same as the one who is deprived but content.” [7] عَنْ سِنَانِ بْنِ طَرِيفٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ خَشِيتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مُسْتَدْرَجاً قَالَ وَ لِمَ قُلْتُ لِأَنِّي دَعَوْتُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَرْزُقَنِي دَاراً فَرَزَقَنِي- وَ دَعَوْتُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَرْزُقَنِي أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ فَرَزَقَنِي أَلْفاً وَ دَعَوْتُهُ أَنْ يَرْزُقَنِي خَادِماً فَرَزَقَنِي خَادِماً قَالَ فَأَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ تَقُولُ قَالَ أَقُولُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ قَالَ فَمَا أُعْطِيتَ‏ أَفْضَلُ‏ مِمَّا أُعْطِيتَ‏.

Sanan ibn Zarif said: “I told Imam Sadiq -asws that I am afraid to be reprimanded. He -asws asked me why. I said I asked Allah -azwj for a thousand Dirhams, and He -azwj Granted it to me. I asked Him -azwj for a servant, and He -azwj Gave me one. Then Imam Sadiq -asws asked me what I have to say now. I said: ‘الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ’ praise be to Allah -azwj .

He -asws said: “What you have said is better than what you have been given.” [8] عَنْ سَعْدَانَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَرَى مَنْ هُوَ شَدِيدُ الْحَالِ مُضَيَّقاً عَلَيْهِ الْعَيْشُ وَ أَرَى نَفْسِي فِي سَعَةٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا- لَا أَمُدُّ يَدِي إِلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ إِلَّا رَأَيْتُ فِيهِ مَا أُحِبُّ وَ قَدْ أَرَى مَنْ هُوَ أَفْضَلُ مِنِّي قَدْ صُرِفَ ذَلِكَ عَنْهُ فَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي اسْتِدْرَاجاً مِنَ اللَّهِ لِي بِخَطِيئَتِي فَقَالَ ع أَمَّا مَعَ الْحَمْدِ فَلَا وَ اللَّهِ.

Sae’dan ibn Yazeed said: “I told Imam Sadiq -asws that I saw someone having hard times in life while I had a good life. Whatever I reach out for, I find in it what I like. Sometimes I see other people who are superior to me but they do not have these blessings. I am afraid this might be a sort of Divine test for me”.

The Imam -asws said: “Have no fear as long as you give thanks (say: ‘الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ’ ) for these blessings.” [9] عنه عليه السلام قال: إذا أحسنتم فاحمدوا الله، وإذا أسأتم فاستغفروا الله.

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