Tradition

"إنَّ الأشْياءَ لَمّا ازْدَوَجَتْ إزْدَوَجَ الْكَسَلُ و الْعَجْزُ فَنَتَجا بَيْنَهُمَا الْفَقْرَ"

Imam ‘Ali (‘a) is narrated to have said: “On the day that all things were paired, laziness and weakness were joined with one another and they gave birth to poverty.”1

Brief Commentary

Everything in this world is gained through hard work and struggle, and this is a reality that Islam has taught us. Laziness, the lack of desire, and escape from the hardships and difficulties that one faces in life is something that is not in concordance with faith. These are things that will bring about poverty and not just financial poverty, but poverty in one’s morals and spiritual state as well. People of faith should try their utmost to be independent from all perspectives and not rely on others for assistance.

• 1. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 78, p. 59; Tuhaf al-’Uqul, p. 158.