Imam Ali stories5

SAVING WEALTH
Quamber, the servant of Hazrat Ali (A.S.) relates the following incident: "Once and only once Hazrat Ali (A.S.) got annoyed with me. It was the occasion when I showed him the money that I had hoarded. !t was from my share of income given to me like others from the Muslim treasury and the gift I had received from the members of his family. I had no immediate use of it and had collected the amount. It was not much, being barely 100 dirhams. When I showed him the amount he looked annoyed and what pained me more was that he looked sad.

"I enquired as to why he was so sad. He said, Quamber, if you had no use of this money, were there not people around you who were in need of it, some of them might have been starving and some ill and infirm, could you not have helped them. I never thought that you could be so heartless and cruel, and could love wealth for the sake of wealth. Quamber, I am afraid you are not trying to acquire much from Islam, try more seriously and sincerely. Take these coins out of my house."

"I took them out and distributed them amongst the beggars in Koofa mosque."



Is money is everything?

Some people say 'money is everything'. It will be advisable for such people to consider the following facts:

"Money will buy a bed but not sleep, Books but not brains, Food but not appetite, Finery but not beauty, Medicine but not health; Luxuries but not culture, Amusements but not happiness, Passport to every where but not Heaven".




LOVE FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH

Hazrat Ali (A.S.) would always spend time with his children. Once he was sitting in his house with his two young children, Abbas, his son, and Zainab, his daughter.

Hazrat Ali (A.S.) said to Abbas, "Say Waahed (one)". Harzat Ali (A.S.) then asked him to "say Isnain (Two)". Abbas replied, "I feel ashamed to utter 'two' from the same tongue which just said 'one'".

Hazrat Ali (A.S.) hugged his son, pleased at such a charming expression. The reply from Abbas indicated how deeply devoted he was in his belief in Tawheed, that is, Oneness of Allah. A true believer never likes to even imagine any association with Allah.

Zainab then asked, "Dear, father, do you love me?" Hazrat Ali (A.S.) said, "Yes, of course, my children are like a part of my heart". On hearing this, she said, "You also love Allah. How can two loves be in one heart of a true believer, the love of Allah and that of children?

Hazrat Ali (A.S.) smiled and replied, "Love Allah and for the sake of His love, you love His creatures; children and fellow beings too. I love you for the sake of Allah."


DO THINGS FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH ONLY


In the battle of Khandaq, the Muslims dug a ditch around themselves for their defense, so that the enemy could not get across.

A man from the enemy side called Amr bin Abdawud who was known for his strength, courage and art of fighting managed to get across the ditch.

All the Muslims were terrified to fight him and only Imam Ali (AS) came forward to fight this man.

There was a fierce fight until at last Imam Ali (AS) threw Amr down onto the ground and mounted his chest ready to kill him.

Just as Imam Ali (AS) was about to kill this enemy of Islam, he spit on the face of our Imam (AS).

Everybody was certain that because of this insult, Amr would meet his death even faster still, but to their amazement, Imam Ali (AS) moved from Amr's chest and walked away.

Amr attacked Imam (AS) again and after a short while, Imam (AS) again overpowered Amr and killed him.

After the battle was over people asked Imam Ali (AS) the reason why he had spared Amr's life when he had first overpowered him.

To which Imam (AS) replied that if he had killed him then it would have not been only for the sake of Allah but also for the satisfaction of his anger and so he let him free.

Then Imam (AS) controlled his anger and killed Amr purely for the sake of Allah.

Moral: Although your intention may be pure to begin with it can very easily change so always make sure you do things for the sake of Allah only.


WHAT ENEMY SAYS ABOUT IMAM ALI (A.S.)?

Abu Sa'id Mansur bin Husayn Abi (422 A.H.) writes thus in his book entitled Nathrud Durar: Ahnaf bin Qays says,

"One day I went to see Muawiya. He had laid a wonderful dinner carpet. He brought all sorts of hot, cold, sweet, and sour foods for me. I was wonderstruck. Later, as ordered by him, another dish of a different kind of food was brought in. I tried my best to find out what it was but did not succeed. I, therefore, enquired about it from Muawiya. He replied that it consisted of the intestines of a duck which had been filled with the marrow of the sheep and had then been fried in pistachio oil and finally sugar had been sprinkled on it.

I began to weep. He asked me: "Why are you weeping?" I replied, "I have been reminded of the life of Imam Ali (A.S.). I remember that one day I was with him. When the time for dinner and breaking the fast drew near he asked me to remain with him. A sealed leather case was brought to him. I asked him what it contained and he told me that there was barley flour in it". I asked him, "Why have you sealed it? Are you afraid that others may take some of it or do you not wish that anyone else should eat it?" He replied, "Who else? As a matter of fact I am afraid that my sons Hasan and Hussain may not taint it with butter or olive oil." I said, "O Commander of the Faithful! Is it prohibited?" He replied, "No. It is not prohibited. However, it is necessary for the true administrators and rulers to consider themselves to be the most deprived persons so that poverty and distress may not press and squeeze the indigent".

When I had said this, Muawiya interrupted and said, "You have mentioned a man whose excellence cannot be denied by anyone".


AMOUNT RECEIVED BY Ali IBN ABI TALIB (A.S.)

It has been recorded in "Arbaeen" "Fazael-e-Shazaan" and "Tuhfatul Izhaar" the following incident related by Ibrahim Bin Mehram, who said: One of my neighbors in Kufa was a man named Abu Ja'far, who was very good-natured. Anytime a Sayyed would approach and request something from him, he would give. If they could pay, he would take the price of the things and if not, he would ask his servant to write: "This amount has been received by Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S.)."

He lived in such a manner till he found himself poor and destitute. He would sit in his house and open his book of accounts and if he found someone indebted to him, he would send someone to recover from that person. And when he would find the person to have died, he would draw a line over it.

During this period, once he was sitting near the door of his house examining that book, a Naasibi [enemy of Ahlay Bayt (A.S.)] taunted him by saying: "What did your biggest creditor Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S.) do for you?" Abu Ja'far felt grieved and went inside the house.

That night, he saw in his dream, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), Imam Hasan (A.S.) and Imam Hussain (A.S.). The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) asked them "Where is your father? "Amirul Mumineen Ali (A.S.) replied, "Here I am" and came from behind. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) asked: "What happened that you do not pay this man's dues? Amirul Mumineen Ali (A.S.) replied. "O Messenger of Allah! This is his due which I've brought with me". The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Give it to him". Hazrat Ali (A.S.) gave a pouch to Abu Ja'far. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Take it and do not deny anyone from his sons who ask you something that you possess. Return such that destitution will not touch you again".

Abu Ja'far said: "I woke up such that the pouch was in my hand and I woke up my wife and asked her to light the lamps. I found 1000 Ashrafis in that pouch". My wife said: "Fear Allah, should poverty force you to deceive some traders and usurp their money". I said: "By Allah, the matter is such and such. When I opened my book of accounts I saw that the total amount that I had given on behalf of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S.) was 1000 Ashrafis, neither less nor more".


YOU SHOULD ALWAYS GIVE AWAY THE NICER THING

One day our 1st Imam, Imam Ali (AS) went to the market with his servant, Qambar. There he bought 2 shirts, one which was really nice and expensive and the other which was not as nice.

When Imam Ali (AS) returned home he gave the better shirt to Qambar and kept the other one for himself.

Qambar told Imam Ali (AS) that it would look better if he wore the nicer shirt as he was the leader of the Muslims while Qambar himself was only a servant.

Imam Ali (AS) answered that Qambar should wear the nicer shirt because he was younger and so it would suit him better; but more importantly Imam (AS) told him that he was a guide for the Muslims and so had to set a good example for them by leading a simple life.