Which is better: the grateful rich person or the patient poor person?

Question:
This questioner, Abdulmajid al-Mahmoud, says: Honorable Shaykh, which is better, the patient poor person or the grateful rich person? I hope for an elaboration on this issue. May Allah reward you.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows, the sincere believers in their faith, when they are given, they give thanks, and when they are tested, they are patient. These are the characteristics of the believer: he gives thanks in times of ease and is patient in times of affliction. The scholars have differed on which is better: the grateful rich person or the patient poor person? Some of them preferred the former, and some of them preferred the latter. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on them both) say that the better of the two is the one who is more mindful of Allah the Exalted and Majestic. The one who is more mindful of Allah is the better one. And Allah knows best. Yes.