Praiseworthy and Disparaged Poverty

Imam al-Sadiq (AS), when asked about the [meaning of the] saying of Abu Dharr: “There are three things that people hate but I love: I love death and I love poverty and I love tribulation”, said, ‘This is not as they have understood it. What he meant is that death in the obedience of Allah is more beloved to me than a life of disobedience to Allah; poverty in the obedience of Allah is more beloved to me than wealth [accompanied] with disobedience to Allah, and tribulation [accompanied] with obedience to Allah is more beloved to me than good health with disobedience to Allah.

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Poverty with us [i.e. our guardianship] is better than wealth with other than us, and death with us is better than life with other than us.

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Wealth that prevents you from oppression is better than poverty that drives you to sin.

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Poverty is red death. The narrator said, ‘I asked Abu Aabdullah [Al-Sadiq (AS)], ‘Poverty of dinars and dirhams? He said, ‘No, rather poverty in ones faith.