Imām Ibn Qudāmah -rahimahullāh-
Said:
As for the difference between wealth and poverty in terms of superiority, then what’s apparently mentioned in the text of the Glorious Qur’an is that poverty is superior.
However, that needs more details explanation.
Superiority is possible between a contented patient person and a rich one who spends his wealth in good acts, or between a greedy poor person and a greedy rich one since it is obvious that the contented patient poor person is superior to the greedy rich one, and that the rich one who spends his wealth in charitable actions is better than the contented poor one.
But, if the rich one only spends his wealth on those things which are mubah, then the contented poor person is superior.
In order to grasp these differences deeply, one need to know that what is sought as a means to a thing, then the main programmed goal of such must be realised, since by such, its virtue will be obvious.
Hence, this worldly life is not condemned in its own right. Rather, it’s because it serves as a barrier between a servant and Allāh Ta’āla.
In fact, some men amongst the pious ones are not affected nor carried away by their wealth the likes of Prophet Suleimān ‘alayhissalam, ‘Uthmān bn ‘Affān and ‘Abdurrahmān bn ‘Awf Radiyallāhu ‘anhumā.
And some men amongst poor ones are carried away from the love of Allah due to their poverty, and they busy themselves with the love of the transitory life since the love of Allāh can never coexist in the same heart with the love of the transitory life.
And the lover of a thing is always mindful and watchful of his beloved one either in his presence or absence. Rather, his mindfulness in his separation may even be more.
The dunya is the beloved thing to the negligent ones, and the deprived ones are those who completely engrossed in its pursue, and those who possesses the dunya & are enslaved by it, exhausting their efforts in safeguarding its luxuries and enjoying the temporary comfort.
But if viewed, considering that the majority are likely to be carried away by it, then the poor ones are far from that as against the rich ones since maintaining righteousness at times of prosperity is difficult. And also loving this dunya makes one dislike returning to Allah. Hence, the shariah gives superiority to poverty over wealth.
Allāhu A’alam
Bārakāllāhu fīkum.
25th Dhu Al-Hijja, 1440AH.
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