Life in this world is a test, and every believer is tried in different ways. Some are tested with hardship, while others are tested with ease. Wealth and poverty, though opposites, are both trials from Allah. Neither is a guarantee of honor nor disgrace what matters is how a believer responds to the test.
Islam teaches us that wealth and poverty are not ends in themselves, but tools that reveal our faith, patience, and gratitude.
WEALTH AS A TEST
Allah says:
“And know that your wealth and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a great reward.”
(Qur’an 8:28)
Wealth can be a blessing when used to please Allah, but it can also be a source of arrogance, greed, and heedlessness. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The son of Adam says: ‘My wealth, my wealth.’ But do you have of your wealth other than what you eat and consume, or what you wear and wear out, or what you give in charity and thus make it last?”
(Muslim)
The trial of wealth is not in possessing it, but in how it is earned and how it is spent. Is it acquired lawfully? Is it used to support family, aid the poor, and serve Islam? Or is it hoarded, wasted, or spent in sin?
POVERTY AS A TEST
The Prophet ﷺ himself experienced poverty, at times going days without food, yet he never complained and always remained patient. Poverty tests a believer’s resilience, trust in Allah, and ability to remain content despite hardship.
Allah reminds us:
“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient.”
(Qur’an 2:155)
Poverty can purify the heart, detach it from worldly desires, and bring a person closer to Allah through humility and reliance upon Him.
BOTH ARE TESTS WHICH IS HARDER?
Some scholars mention that wealth is a more dangerous test than poverty. Why? Because poverty often drives a person to remember Allah out of need, while wealth can make one forget Allah out of comfort.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“By Allah, it is not poverty that I fear for you. But I fear that the world will be opened up for you as it was opened up for those before you, and you will compete in it as they competed, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them.”
(Bukhari, Muslim)
Thus, wealth without gratitude leads to arrogance, while poverty without patience leads to despair. Both paths can be destructive if not met with the right attitude.
HOW TO RESPOND TO EACH TRIAL
If blessed with wealth:
Be grateful to Allah.
Spend generously in charity.
Use it to support family and the Ummah.
Avoid extravagance and arrogance.
If tested with poverty:
Be patient and trust in Allah’s provision.
Seek halal means of earning without desperation.
Remember the poor are often closer to the Prophet ﷺ in Jannah.
Never despair of Allah’s mercy.
CONCLUSION
Wealth and poverty are both fleeting states of dunya. Neither defines a person’s worth in the sight of Allah. What defines us is how we respond: wealth should lead to gratitude and generosity, while poverty should lead to patience and reliance on Allah.
The true richness is not in possessions, but in the heart. As the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Richness is not having many possessions, but richness is being content with oneself.”
(Bukhari, Muslim)
Whether rich or poor, the believer’s ultimate success lies not in worldly status, but in passing the test of life with faith, gratitude, and patience securing eternal wealth in the Akhirah.
