Monthly Archives: October 2016
Story #6:– The Needy and the Wealthy
As usual, the Prophet was sitting in his place in between his Companions. They formed a circle around him and it seemed to be as if the Prophet was a bezel of a ring in between them.
Suddenly one of the Muslims, a poor man dressed in rags, came in through the door. According to the Islamic tradition, regardless of his status, anyone who enters in an assembly should sit wherever he finds an empty place, not considering whether the particular place is suitable for his social status. Therefore, that man looked around, found a vacant place, went, and sat there.
Incidentally he settled down next to a rich and wealthy man. The rich man gathered the edges of his dress and shifted on to another side away from him.
The Holy Prophet was watching and observing the behavior of the wealthy person.
He turned towards him and said: “Are afraid that something of his poverty would transfer to you?”
“No, O Messenger of Allah!”
“Did you fear that some of your wealth might adhere to him?”
“No, O Messenger of Allah!”
“Perhaps…”
“No, O Messenger of Allah!”
“Then why did you draw yourself aside and shift away from him?”
“I confess that I committed an error and made a mistake. At present, in order to compensate my error and to expiate the sin, I am ready to grant half of my wealth to this Muslim brother towards whom I have shown disrespect.”
The man in rags replied: “But I am not ready to accept this offer.”
The Companions asked: “Why?”
The man said: “I fear that I may become arrogant and ill-treat one of my Muslim brothers in the same way that this man did towards me today.”
Source: Murtada Mutahhari, THE NARRATIVES OF THE VERACIOUS, Story 17.
Financial Lesson of the Story:
- Preservation of one’s self-esteem and personal integrity.
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