Hawzah News Agency | The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, peace and blessings of God be upon him, in Saying 68 of Nahj al-Balagha, states:
«الْعَفَافُ زِینَةُ الْفَقْرِ، وَ الشُّکْرُ زِینَةُ الْغِنَی.»
“Self-restraint and chastity are the adornment of poverty, while gratitude is the adornment of wealth.”
Explanation:
At first glance, poverty and lack of material possessions may seem undesirable, while wealth and affluence may appear attractive to people. However, the reality is that poverty needs an adornment; and if a poor person adorns himself with this virtue, wealth and riches will, in essence, encompass his entire being. Conversely, wealth and prosperity also require an adornment; and if a wealthy person fails to adorn himself with this virtue, poverty and deprivation will eventually encompass his entire being.
This is why Imam Ali, peace be upon him, considers chastity (self-restraint and contentment) to be the adornment of poverty, and gratitude to be the adornment of wealth.
To understand how these adornments work, let us once again turn to the words of Imam Ali, peace be upon him.
Regarding self-restraint and contentment (the adornment of poverty), he states:
«الْقَنَاعَةُ مَالٌ لَا یَنْفَدُ.»
“Contentment is a wealth that never runs out.” (Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon no. 57)
Thus, a poor person who is content with what he has, although outwardly poor, is in reality adorned with a treasure and wealth that are inexhaustible.
Regarding gratitude (the adornment of wealth and prosperity), he also states:
«شُکْرُ اَلنِّعْمَةِ أَمَانٌ مِنْ تَحْوِیلِهَا وَ کَفِیلٌ بِتَأْیِیدِهَا.»
“Gratitude for a blessing protects it from being altered and guarantees its continuance.” (Ghurar al-Hikam, Vol. 1, p. 406)
He further states:
«شُکْرُ اَلنِّعْمَةِ أَمَانٌ مِنْ حُلُولِ اَلنِّقْمَةِ.»
“Gratitude for a blessing provides protection against the descent of divine punishment.” (Ghurar al-Hikam, Vol. 1, p. 407)
Therefore, if a wealthy person does not adorn himself with the virtue of gratitude, he may experience a change in his blessings, the loss of those blessings, or even divine displeasure.
Finally, we must once again turn to the blessed words of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, for the concluding message.
He states:
«اَلْفَقْرُ وَ اَلْغِنَی بَعْدَ اَلْعَرْضِ عَلَی اَللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ.»
“Poverty and wealth acquire their true meaning only after being presented before Allah.” (Ghurar al-Hikam, Vol. 1, p. 83)
This means that the true nature of poverty and wealth, just like the true nature of all other matters, will be revealed in the Hereafter, when we stand before the Divine Presence and are called upon to present all that we possess before Almighty God. It is then that it will become clear who is truly poor and who is truly wealthy.
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