Don’t grieve if you are poor, for your true value is not determined by your bank balance
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“The (true) value of every person is weighed according to the good that he does.”
Therefore the value of a scholar is based on his knowledge, on whether it is limited or vast, and on the degree to which he disseminates his knowledge. Similarly, the poet is appraised based on the quality of his poems. And so it goes for every person of every occupation: his worth with people is measured by his excellence in what he does. In terms not of occupation but of religion and life in general, everyone should strive to increase their value and worth by performing good deeds, by increasing their knowledge and level of wisdom, by cultivating and polishing their mind, and by developing noble traits in their personality.