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MADRASA AL-HIDAYA |
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MUSLIM SCHOOL OF RIGHT GUIDANCE |
WRITINGS OF
IMAM ‘ABDALLAH BIN ‘ALAWI AL-HADDAD
Rady Allahu ‘AnhuChapter 49 from The Sublime Treasures: Answers to Sufi Questions
Translated by: Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi
‘Isā ibn Ahmad Bā-Hadramī asked him (Imam al-Haddad) about the relative merits of poverty and wealth and the seeming contradictions that exist in the hadiths concerning them.
He answered: In the Name of God the Merciful and Compassionate. Praise belongs to God Who made poverty the adornment of His virtuous servants and the embellishment of His successful elite. However, this is only so when it is accompanied on their part with contentment, submission, thankfulness and patient endurance of whatever hardships the August, the Omniscient imposes upon them. But when it is accompanied with panic, resentment and objection to what destiny has brought, then it becomes a great affliction which leads to perpetual torment. Thus, whatever praise of poverty is to be found in the Book and Sunna refers to that poverty which is accompanied by patience, contentment and the maintenance of perfect courtesy with God the Exalted. An example of this is his saying (may God’s blessings and peace be upon him): “Poverty is more embellishing to the believer than a beautiful harness on a horse’s cheek.” Whatever disparagement of poverty is to be found refers to that poverty which is accompanied by anger with destiny and resentment at how things were made to happen. This kind may lead to its man to object to God’s management of His creatures’ affairs and to it refers his saying (may blessings and peace be upon him): “Poverty is not far from becoming disbelief.”
Because poverty is more likely than wealth to lead to salvation and success both in this world and the next, it has been the choice of the most venerable of people, the Prophets and the saints both in ancient and more recent times. For the poor man when contented and thankful, has a status with God (Transcendent is He) that the wealthy never achieves even were he to give both himself and his wealth away for the sake of his Lord, Exalted is He. On the other hand the poor man, when resentful, becomes worse than the worst of the rich people, for his affliction would thus consist in objecting to God the Exalted and this is a horrendous matter whereas the affliction of the rich is to be deceived by the world and indulge in enjoying it in a reprehensible manner.
This is the answer to your question so do understand it. May God bless our master Muhammad, his family and Companions and grant them peace.
Source: Imam ‘Abdallah bin ‘Alawi al-Haddad, The Sublime Treasures: Answers to Sufi Questions, translated by Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi, Fons Vitae, Louisville, KY, U.S.A, 2008, p. 49-50.