Library Ethics Greater Sins Chapter 35 Pride or Arrogance The Humility of the Rich and the Pride of the Beggar for the pleasure of Allah (S.w.T.)
The Humility of the Rich and the Pride of the Beggar for the pleasure of Allah (S.w.T.)
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The Humility of the Rich and the Pride of the Beggar for the pleasure of Allah (S.w.T.)
Amir ul-Mu’minÄ«n ‘Ali (a.s.) says:
It is good for the rich to show humility before the poor to seek reward from Allah, but better than that is the haughtiness of the poor towards the rich with trust in Allah.
(Nahjul Balagha saying 406)
The poor can behave with arrogance towards the rich not because he considers himself superior or due to any feeling of pride but because of their trusts and faith in Allah (S.w.T.), and on the basis of this conviction that they are needless of other people and their total reliance is on Allah (S.w.T.) Who is the owner of the treasures of earth and heavens.
It is mentioned in the book Layalil Akhbar that one day a rich man came to the Holy Prophet (S) dressed in expensive clothes and sat down in the assembly. After that a beggar dressed in tattered clothes arrived and sat next to the rich man. The rich man pulled away his dress and moved away a little bit. The Holy Prophet (S) asked if he was worried that his poverty may reach him. The rich man said, “No”! The Prophet (S) asked him if he feared that his wealth will decrease and reach that beggar? ‘No’, he said. The Prophet (S) asked him if he had moved away fearing your clothes will become dirty?” Again he replied in the negative.
“Then why did you behave like that?” asked the Messenger of Allah (S). He said, “My natural tendency is to regard every good deed as bad and every evil deed as good but now I reform myself. I wish to give half my wealth to this poor person.’ The Holy Prophet asked the pauper if he would accept it. The pauper refused saying that he feared he might also fall into pride like the rich man. It must be borne in mind that arrogance towards the rich is only with respect to riches. As far as faith is concerned, we have to be just as humble to a believing beggar as to a believing rich man.
