Hadith 59

(The book) ‘Jamie Al Akhbaar’ –
‘The Prophet-saww was asked, ‘What is the poverty? ’ He-saww said: ‘A treasure from the treasures of Allah-azwj’. It was said secondly, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! What is the poverty? ’ He-saww said: ‘A Prestige from Allah-azwj’. It was said thirdly, ‘What is the poverty? ’ He-saww said: ‘Something Allah-azwj does not Give except to a Prophet-as or a Messenger-saww, or a Momin prestigious to Allah-azwj the Exalted’’. [74]
And the Prophet-saww said: ‘The poverty is severer than the killing’’. [75]
The Prophet-saww said: ‘Allah-azwj the Exalted Revealed to Ibrahim-as. He-azwj Said: “O Ibrahim‑as! I-azwj Created you-as and Tried you-as with the fire of Nimrod-la. If I-azwj were to Try you with the poverty and Raise the patience away from you-as, what would you-sa do? ’
Ibrahim-as said: ‘O Lord-azwj! The poverty is severer to me-as than the fire of Nimrod-la’. Allah-azwj Said: ‘By My-azwj Might and My-azwj Majesty! I-saww have not Created in the sky and the earth anything severer than the poverty! ”
He-as said: ‘O Lord-azwj! One who feeds a hungry one, what will be his Recompense? ’
He-azwj Said: “His Recompense is the Forgiveness, and even if his sins were to fill up what is between the sky and the earth! ”’[76]
And he-saww said: ‘Had it not been for the Mercy of my-saww Lord-azwj upon the poor ones of my-saww community, the poverty would almost be Kufr! ’
A man from the companions stood up. He said, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! What is the Recompense of a poor Momin being patient upon his poverty? ’
He-saww said: ‘In the Paradise there is a chamber of red ruby. The people of Paradise will look at it like what the people of earth look at stars of the sky. No one will enter into it except a poor Prophet-saww, or a poor martyr, or a poor Momin’’. [77]
Amir Al-Momineen-asws said to Al-Hassan-asws: ‘Do not blame a person seeking his daily subsistence. The one who lacks his daily subsistence, his mistakes (sins) would be many. O my-asws son-asws: ‘The poor one is belittled. Neither is his speech being listened to nor is his position recognised. Even if the poor one were to be truthful, he will be named as a liar, and even if he were to be ascetic, he would be named as ignorant. O my-asws son-asws! One who is afflicted by the poverty, is afflicted by four characteristics – the weakness in his certainty, and the deficiency in his intellect, and the weakness in his religion, and lack of shame in his face, so we-asws seek Refuge