Year Nineteen
Issue No. 949 - 01/Ramadan/1432 AH
Corresponding to August 02, 2011 AD

Contents:
* Mihrab Platform:
Despairing of Relief from People is Best Wealth

Mihrab Platform
Despairing of Relief from People is Best Wealth

The main axes of the subject:
1- Correction
2- Believer’s value
3- The effects of despairing of relief from people
4- The reason for despairing of relief from people

Purpose:

We will show how the true personality of a man of faith materializes when he despairs of relief from people.

Exporting the subject:

Commander of the faithful (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “When you are in need you are a prisoner, and when you are free of need you are a peer.”¹

Correction:

Ever since man set foot on this earth, people have been extremely busy seeing this worldly life alone. This issue often made man understands the facts regarding this world.

Besides, this issue can become a fulcrum that is hard to be controlled, making it difficult to steer the inattentive people away from it by diverting them towards the true measures of the facts.

However, the people who understand the facts and those inceptive can see the true identity of things (not everything as it seems) and measure them accordingly. On top of those inceptive men are the prophets and holy men (pbut), led by the sealing prophet Mohammad (s.a.a.w.).

Among the facts that confused most people was and still understanding the issue of getting rich. Most people regard this matter as a solvency with the desire to ask for more money that goes beyond one’s need. However, richness in fact points to an-other completely different direction that utterly contradicts with such understanding.

In addition, a great number of people believe that the scarcity of money means winning; and that he whose money becomes less than his need is the poor one. How-ever, by returning to the people of inception and the issues that influence them, we will find the way to understanding the reality of richness and the truth of poverty, which differs from the concept of abundance or scarcity of money.

Abu Zar al Ghufari (RIP) was quoted as saying: “Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) asked me: O Abu Zar, do you think that the abundance of money means richness? I said yes O messenger of Allah. He said: then you must believe that the scarcity of money means poverty. I said: yes O messenger of Allah. He said: In fact, richness is the richness of the heart; and poverty is the poverty of the heart.”²

Another saying of Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) reads: “Richness is inside the heart, and poverty is inside the heart.”³

Believer’s value:

Man’s feel for needing relief from people will make him experience abasement in front of them since he sees that attaining relief is in their hands. On the other hand, when man despairs of relief from people, this issue will render him free in his think-ing, feelings and stances. Therefore, he will not feel much influenced by the people regarding his behavior. And again, as the commander of the faithful (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “When you are in need you are a prisoner, and when you are free of need you are a peer.”⁴

A saying of Imam al Sadiq (a.s.) reads: “Losing hope in attaining relief from people adds value to a believer’s faith.”⁵

Inspired by Gabriel, a saying of Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) reads: “… And learn that a believer’s honor is in his prayers at night, and his value is in freeing himself from attaining relief from people.”⁶

The effects of despairing of relief from people:

Despairing of relief from people coupled with hopelessness in such issue results in fruitful things that are treasured by the wise people and will not be ignored by the inceptive and strong willed people. Some of these fruits are:

1- The content person who acts with despair from getting relief from people believes that all favor comes from Allah and that all people are equal human beings. This is-sue is proved by the words of commander of the faithful (a.s.) when he said: “…When you are free of need you are a peer.”⁷

2- Gaining the love of people:
Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) was quoted as saying: “Be ascetic toward the world and Allah will love you, be ascetic toward attaining relief from people and the people will love you.”⁸

3- The feel of not being held in any pledge:
Commander of the faithful (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “Despair is a regenerating freedom.”⁹ Another saying of his reads: “Despair provides freedom, greed is harmful.”.”¹⁰

4- Psychological relief:
Commander of the faithful (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “Despair gives relief.”¹¹
This is because asking relief from people results in humiliation whereas losing hope in attaining their relief provides the feeling of dignity and liberation. This also includes a psychological relief.

5- Feeling real richness:
Imam al Baqir (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “The best wealth is putting your trust in Allah while despairing of relief from people.”¹²
Also commander of the faithful (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “The greatest richness is losing hope in attaining relief from people.”¹³

6- Achieving success:
Commander of the faithful (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “Despair is one of the two successes.”¹⁴

He was also quoted as saying: “Prompting despair is one of the two triumphs.” ¹⁵

One of the two successes or triumphs means hitting the target, and the other one means never to pledge to anyone but Allah (The Exalted) for achieving this issue. Commander of the faithful (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “If greed is loss despair is cognition.”¹⁶

In other words, despairing of relief from people achieves one of the two aims since greed can lead the human soul to doom.

- The reason for despairing of relief from people:

1- Trust in Allah (The Exalted):
Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) was quoted as saying: “He who wishes to be one of the richest must put his trust in Allah rather than putting it in others.”¹⁷

2- Contentment:
The saints were quoted as saying: “He who is content with Allah’s provision is one of the richest of people.”¹⁸

3- Conviction:
Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) was quoted as saying: “Enough for richness is conviction.”¹⁹
Moreover, Imam Ali (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “Key to richness is conviction.”²⁰

4- Restraint:
Commander of the faithful (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “No one is rich unless he re-strains himself.”²¹

5- Piety:
Imam al Baqir (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “People of piety are the rich ones who were enriched by the little of this world hence their provision was easy.”²²

1- Bihar al Anwar, Vol. 75, P. 107, H. 9.
2- Al Targhib wa Al Tarhib, from the accounted Hadith by Abd al Azim Bin Abd al Qawi al Monthari al Shami, Vol. 4, P. 148, H. 37.
3- Bihar al Anwar, by Scholar Sheikh Muhammad Baqir al Majlisi, Vol. 72, P. 68, H. 29.
4- Al Bihar, Vol. 75, P. 107, H. 9.
5- Wasa’el al Shia, by Al Horr Al A’mili, Vol. 6, P. 314, H. 5.
6- Al Khisal, by Sheikh al Saddouq, P. 7, H. 20.
7- Same previous source.
8- Al Wasa’el, Vol. 6, P. 315, H. 9.
9- Ghorar al Hikam wa Dorar al Kalam, by judge Abdul Wahid al A’midi al Tamimi, wisdom 756.
10- Wisdom 52.
11- Wisdom 636.
12- Al Wasa’el, Vol. 6, P. 315, H. 11.
13- Nahjul Balagha, wisdom 342.
14- Ghorar al Hikam, wisdom 1606.
15- Wisdom 4577.
16- Nahjul Balagha interpretation, by Ibn Abi al Hadid al Mo'atazili, Vol. 16, P. 113.
17- Al Kafi, by Al Kulaini, Vol. 2, P. 139, H. 8.
18- Al Kafi, by Al Kulaini, Vol. 2, P. 139, H. 9.
19- Al Kafi, by Al Kulaini, Vol. 2, P. 85, H. 1.
20- Al Kafi, by Al Kulaini, Vol. 87, P. 9, H. 65
21- Al Bihar, Vol. 78, P. 8, H. 64.
22- Tuhaf al Uqul, by Ibn Shu’bah al Harrani, P. 287.