Hamran ibn A’yan, one of the most famous companions of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), once complained to the Imam about some difficulties in his life. In response, the Imam said:

“... O Hamran, look to those who are below you in ability and do not look to those above you in ability, for this will make you content with what has been allotted to you, and it is more appropriate that you deserve more from your Lord.”

In this statement of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) lies a very important ethical point. Every person inevitably faces difficulties in their life and expects their desires to be fulfilled, but when their prayers go unanswered, they become upset. Imagine a person who no matter how much wealth or property they have, still desires more. For example, a merchant expects all his goods to sell and to earn a good profit.

We know that in trade, sometimes a product yields no profit or even a loss. Naturally, such setbacks cause distress. Or a person who is busy with some work, or someone unmarried, or someone married but childless, or someone deprived of good health and ill — all these are life’s problems, and everyone has some shortcomings in their life.

The richest person in the world still desires more, and all that wealth does not satisfy him.

In a divine hadith (saying from God), it is said that if a human had two valleys of gold, they would still desire to own another valley. Perhaps in the entire world, two valleys of gold do not even exist.

In Arabic, a flat land surrounded by mountains is called a wadi (valley). If the distance between these mountains is very narrow, say fifty or one hundred meters, it is called a masil (a passage for floodwaters).
The word wadi refers to a valley between two mountain ranges, and silab (flood) refers to the slope where rainwater flows down into the valley, creating floods. The distance between two mountains can be tens of meters, or even ten kilometers or more.

In any case, the hadith mentions that even if a person had two valleys of gold, they would still long to possess another valley.

Worldly possessions never satisfy the human soul. Everyone, with their own conditions and situation — for example, a tenant who rents a house — naturally feels unhappy. Or someone who owns a house might still be dissatisfied and think, “So-and-so has two houses.” Or if their house is small, they wish it were bigger and better. They feel envious that another person has three large houses and they don’t. They always compare themselves to relatives, neighbors, or friends who are wealthier or more fortunate, which results in envy and greed.

The state of regret and greed, due to its carnal nature, recurs daily and constantly for such a person and becomes evident to them. Deficiencies, lacks, and absences appear before their eyes every day: why they are sick, why their house is rented, or why it is owned yet small, and so on. Such a person is always mentally distressed and tormented. Mental and spiritual sufferings are the worst kinds of torments and pains.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) says: in matters of worldly possessions and powers, look at those who are beneath you and poorer than you. That is, if you live in a rented house, look at someone who also rents but whose house is smaller and farther away, or someone who, instead of a house, lives in a single room and cannot afford to rent even an ordinary house. The one who owns a house should look at someone who has no house at all. The sick person should look at another patient whose illness is more severe and chronic, or even incurable (God forbid). In family problems, whether man or woman, one should look at those whose problems are greater and compare oneself to them. Comparing oneself to those worse off brings peace to the mind and nerves, or at least causes less mental strain, preventing a person from ending up in a mental institution or resorting to suicide.

Those who are hospitalized in asylums or who commit suicide have often been trapped in regret, constantly asking themselves why that person has such a life while I do not. They always compared themselves to those better off and, over time, their nerves gave way, and – God forbid – they lost their mental health. Initially, they had no mental disorder.

It is narrated that someone, during long journeys, fell into poverty to the point where he couldn't even buy shoes. When he reached a city and entered a mosque, he saw a person without feet. At that moment, he came to his senses and realized what a blessing he still had. He said, “O God, thank You for giving me feet. Being without shoes is bearable, but being without feet is extremely difficult. Praise be to God that I have feet and can walk.” Of course, this lack of shoes is not permanent; it is temporary and will eventually come to an end.

This story has become famous in popular culture, and in classical texts—especially Persian literature—it is cited as a moral parable and an effective example of the need for gratitude.

In any case, humans and their abilities vary, and these considerations are important for human well-being. For example, who is better off: someone who lacks shoes or someone who lacks feet altogether? Or someone with only one foot instead of two? Or someone who lacks money for treatment, or someone who lacks even a caretaker to tend to their needs and show them compassion? Naturally, people's circumstances differ in different states.

God Almighty did not create the world for comfort, as humans are meant to be tested in it. The world is a place of trial, and people are tested with such circumstances. In a divine narration (hadith qudsi), God Almighty says: I have placed comfort and luxury in Paradise, but people seek them in this world—and they will never attain them. No one can achieve perfect ease and comfort in this world as they wish. Everyone has some deficiency, and sees others who lack that deficiency.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) told Humran that looking at those worse off than yourself reduces mental and emotional suffering. Don’t look at someone whose worldly state is better than yours. If someone’s house is small, they shouldn’t look at those with larger houses and fall into regret; rather, they should look at those who have no home and live in rentals. If someone has family problems, they should not compare themselves to someone who doesn’t have such problems, but to someone whose family difficulties are greater and more severe.

Some poets have beautifully expressed such narrations in verse, making them moving and effective. This narration, too, has been rendered into poetry in an elegant, literary form:

“Whoever desires a pleasant life and prosperity
In religion and in this world’s gains,
Should look up in manners to those superior,
But in wealth, look to those inferior.”

Meaning, in worldly matters, one should reflect on those who are in harder situations, bring them to mind, and thus find peace and gratitude. But in matters of the afterlife, the opposite approach applies: one should focus on those who are ahead and more successful. For instance, someone who struggles to consistently pray at night (tahajjud) should think of and look at someone who never neglects night prayers.

By doing so, little by little, that person will improve in praying at night. Similarly, someone who lacks good manners and struggles in social interactions should focus on someone who is exceptionally good-natured and more amiable, and learn from them, thus improving in this aspect.

In worldly affairs, as Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) instructed Humran ibn A’yun, we should look at those who are beneath us—less fortunate, weaker, and more troubled—so that our nerves and spirits aren’t disturbed.

No human being ever fulfills all their carnal desires, not even good people and saints, who wished to guide others more than they did but could not. Therefore, God Almighty says to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Qur'an: do not grieve over people not believing and not accepting your guidance, nor over them not listening to your words. Even those devoted to the afterlife—the prophets, saints, noble descendants, and righteous people—wished their advice had more effect, but it often didn’t. Should they fall into regret over that? Instead, they should consider why it didn’t work, or why they couldn’t even offer advice at times due to certain conditions.

A person who is not imprisoned should thank God for the opportunity to serve more and gain more blessings.

One key teaching in our ethical narrations is to seize opportunities. For instance, the Prophet (peace be upon him) told Abu Dharr:

"Seize five before five: your life before your death..."
Meaning: as long as you are alive, use your time wisely, for life is a great opportunity.

Once a person dies, all their opportunities are lost, and even if they were faithful and righteous, they still hope that someone might recite al-Fatiha for them one day.

Someone who still has opportunities can serve, study, teach, and guide others. They can show kindness and good manners to people. All these increase one’s rank and status.

Ultimately, as long as a person lives in this world, they should look upward in matters of faith and good deeds, comparing themselves to those ahead of them, and strive to improve. But in worldly affairs, they should look at those beneath them, so their nerves and souls aren’t tormented by envy or dissatisfaction.

In religious and good works, comparison to those ahead encourages more action and better service. In worldly matters, focusing on those worse off brings calm and protects the soul from greed and worldly affliction.

May God Almighty grant us all this success. And peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure family.