The Degree Of Efforts Which One Must Make In Search For One’s Sustenance To Follow In the Footsteps of ‘A’immah ‘Alayhim al-Salam

إِنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ الْمُنْكَدِرِ كَانَ يَقُولُ مَا كُنْتُ أَرَى أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع يَدَعُ خَلَفاً أَفْضَلَ مِنْهُ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ ابْنَهُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ ع فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَعِظَهُ فَوَعَظَنِي فَقَالَ لَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ بِأَيِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ وَعَظَكَ قَالَ خَرَجْتُ إِلَى بَعْضِ نَوَاحِي الْمَدِينَةِ فِي سَاعَةٍ حَارَّةٍ فَلَقِيَنِي أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ وَ كَانَ رَجُلًا بَادِناً ثَقِيلً

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir has said, ‘I did not think Ali ibn Al-Husayn (a.s.), might leave behind a successor better than his own-self. Time passed and I one day saw his son, Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.). I decided to give him certain words of good advice but I, instead, learned a lesson

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ يَضْرِبُ بِالْمَرِّ[1] وَ يَسْتَخْرِجُ الْأَرَضِينَ وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَمَصُّ النَّوَى بِفِيهِ وَ يَغْرِسُهُ فَيَطْلُعُ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ وَ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع أَعْتَقَ أَلْفَ مَمْلُوكٍ مِنْ مَالِهِ وَ كَدِّ يَدِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), would work with a shovel and dig the soil. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, placed date stones in his mouth and then planted it and it would sprout in the same hour. Amir

اسْتَقْبَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي بَعْضِ طُرُقِ الْمَدِينَةِ فِي يَوْمٍ صَائِفٍ‌[2] شَدِيدِ الْحَرِّ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ حَالُكَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ قَرَابَتُكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ أَنْتَ تُجْهِدُ لِنَفْسِكَ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ فَقَالَ يَا عَبْدَ الْأَعْلَى خَرَجْتُ فِي طَلَبِ الرِّزْقِ لِأَسْتَغْنِيَ عَنْ مِثْلِكَ.

“I once came face to face with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), in one of the streets of al-Madinah on a very hot summer day. I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, you have a prominent position before Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, and you are of very close relatives of the Messenger of Allah

أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع أَعْتَقَ أَلْفَ مَمْلُوكٍ مِنْ كَدِّ يَدِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), had set free one thousand slaves by means of what he had earned with his own hands.”

أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى دَاوُدَ ع أَنَّكَ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ لَوْ لَا أَنَّكَ تَأْكُلُ مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ وَ لَا تَعْمَلُ بِيَدِكَ شَيْئاً قَالَ فَبَكَى دَاوُدُ ع أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحاً فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى الْحَدِيدِ أَنْ لِنْ لِعَبْدِي دَاوُدَ فَأَلَانَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ الْحَدِيدَ فَكَانَ يَعْمَلُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ دِرْعاً فَيَبِيعُهَا بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ فَعَمِلَ ثَلَاثَمِائَةٍ وَ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin, has said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sent revelations to Dawud (a.s.) that said, ‘You are a very good servant had you not been spending on yourself from the public treasury while doing no work with your own hands.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Dawud ‘Alayhi al

لَقِيَ رَجُلٌ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ تَحْتَهُ وَسْقٌ مِنْ نَوًى‌[1] فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا هَذَا يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ تَحْتَكَ فَقَالَ مِائَةُ أَلْفِ عَذْقٍ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ قَالَ فَغَرَسَهُ فَلَمْ يُغَادَرْ مِنْهُ نَوَاةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ[2].

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said that a man once visited Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), and found him sitting on a camel-load of date stones. He asked, ‘What is it on which you are sitting, O abu al

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص وَضَعَ حَجَراً عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ يَرُدُّ الْمَاءَ عَنْ أَرْضِهِ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا نَكَبَ بَعِيراً وَ لَا إِنْسَاناً حَتَّى السَّاعَةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once placed a piece of stone on the waterway to prevent it from flowing into his land. By Allah, until this day no human being or camel has moved it away.”

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَسَأَلَنَا عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ مَا فَعَلَ فَقُلْتُ صَالِحٌ وَ لَكِنَّهُ قَدْ تَرَكَ التِّجَارَةَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَمَلُ الشَّيْطَانِ ثَلَاثاً- أَ مَا عَلِمَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص اشْتَرَى عِيراً أَتَتْ مِنَ الشَّامِ‌[4] فَاسْتَفْضَلَ فِيهَا مَا قَضَى دَيْنَهُ وَ قَسَمَ فِي قَرَابَتِهِ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- رِجالٌ لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجارَةٌ وَ لا بَي

It is the work of Satan. Did he not know that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once bought a caravan that had come from al-Sham (Syria) in which he saved enough money to pay off his debts and distributed the extra among his relatives?

إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع كَانَ يَخْرُجُ وَ مَعَهُ أَحْمَالُ النَّوَى فَيُقَالُ لَهُ يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مَا هَذَا مَعَكَ فَيَقُولُ نَخْلٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ فَيَغْرِسُهُ فَلَمْ يُغَادَرْ مِنْهُ وَاحِدَةٌ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), would go to work with large quantities of date stones. He was asked, ‘What are these, O abu al-Hassan?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘They are palm trees, by the will of Allah.’ He then planted them and not a single piece failed sprouting.”

رَأَيْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَعْمَلُ فِي أَرْضٍ لَهُ قَدِ اسْتَنْقَعَتْ قَدَمَاهُ فِي الْعَرَقِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ‌ أَيْنَ الرِّجَالُ فَقَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ قَدْ عَمِلَ بِالْيَدِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي فِي أَرْضِهِ وَ مِنْ أَبِي فَقُلْتُ لَهُ وَ مَنْ هُوَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ آبَائِي ع كُلُّهُمْ كَانُوا قَدْ عَمِلُوا بِأَيْدِيهِمْ وَ هُوَ مِنْ عَمَلِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ الْمُرْ

“I once saw abu al-Hassan (a.s.), working in his land and his feet were drenched in perspiration. I asked, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, where are men (workers)?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘O Ali, people better than my father and I worked in their land.’ I then asked, ‘Who were they?’ He (the

أَتَيْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ إِذَا هُوَ فِي حَائِطٍ لَهُ بِيَدِهِ مِسْحَاةٌ وَ هُوَ يَفْتَحُ بِهَا الْمَاءَ وَ عَلَيْهِ قَمِيصٌ شِبْهَ الْكَرَابِيسِ كَأَنَّهُ مَخِيطٌ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ ضِيقِهِ.

“I once visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and found him inside his walls with a shovel in his hand. He was opening the waterway. His shirt was of a fabric made of thick cotton threads (karabis) which was of very small size for him.”

لَهُ اتَّجِرْ بِهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لِي رَغْبَةٌ فِي رِبْحِهَا وَ إِنْ كَانَ الرِّبْحُ مَرْغُوباً فِيهِ وَ لَكِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَرَانِيَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ مُتَعَرِّضاً لِفَوَائِدِهِ قَالَ فَرَبِحْتُ لَهُ فِيهَا مِائَةَ دِينَارٍ ثُمَّ لَقِيتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ قَدْ رَبِحْتُ لَكَ فِيهَا مِائَةَ دِينَارٍ قَالَ فَفَرِحَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِذَلِكَ فَرَحاً شَدِيداً فَقَالَ لِي أَثْبِتْهَا فِي

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once gave my father one thousand seven hundred dinars and told him to use them in business. He (the Imam) then said, ‘I am not interested in its profits, even though profits are desirable. I love, however, that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, see me work to make profits.’ He (the narrator)

رَأَيْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ بِيَدِهِ مِسْحَاةٌ وَ عَلَيْهِ إِزَارٌ غَلِيظٌ يَعْمَلُ فِي حَائِطٍ لَهُ وَ الْعَرَقُ يَتَصَابُّ عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَعْطِنِي أَكْفِكَ فَقَالَ لِي إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَتَأَذَّى الرَّجُلُ بِحَرِّ الشَّمْسِ فِي طَلَبِ الْمَعِيشَةِ.

“I once saw abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), with a shovel in his hand wearing a very thick dress working inside his walls and his back drenched in perspiration. I then asked, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, allow me to help you.’ He said to me, ‘I Love that man endures hardships in the hot sun to make

إِنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ إِنِّي لَا أُحْسِنُ أَنْ أَعْمَلَ عَمَلًا بِيَدِي وَ لَا أُحْسِنُ‌ أَنْ أَتَّجِرَ وَ أَنَا مُحَارَفٌ مُحْتَاجٌ‌[1] فَقَالَ اعْمَلْ فَاحْمِلْ عَلَى رَأْسِكَ وَ اسْتَغْنِ عَنِ النَّاسِ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَدْ حَمَلَ حَجَراً عَلَى عَاتِقِهِ فَوَضَعَهُ فِي حَائِطٍ لَهُ مِنْ حِيطَانِهِ وَ إِنَّ الْحَجَرَ لَفِي مَكَانِهِ وَ لَا يُدْرَى كَمْ عُمْقُهُ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ ث

“Once a man came to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and said, ‘I am not good in working with my hands and I am not good in doing business, thus I am deprived and needy.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must work and carry it on your head and set yourself free from asking people for help. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensa

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنِّي لَأَعْمَلُ فِي بَعْضِ ضِيَاعِي حَتَّى أَعْرَقَ وَ إِنَّ لِي مَنْ يَكْفِينِي لِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنِّي أَطْلُبُ الرِّزْقَ الْحَلَالَ.

“I once heard abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, T work in a certain site of my work to perspire, even though there are people who can do all the work instead of me but I work so Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, finds me striving to find lawful sustenance.’”

دَفَعَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع سَبْعَمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ وَ قَالَ يَا عُذَافِرُ اصْرِفْهَا فِي شَيْ‌ءٍ أَمَّا عَلَى ذَاكَ مَا بِي شَرَهٌ‌[3] وَ لَكِنْ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَرَانِيَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مُتَعَرِّضاً لِفَوَائِدِهِ قَالَ عُذَافِرٌ فَرَبِحْتُ فِيهَا مِائَةَ دِينَارٍ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فِي الطَّوَافِ‌[4] جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَدْ رَزَقَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيهَا مِائَةَ دِينَارٍ فَقَالَ أَثْبِتْهَا فِي رَأْس

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), gave me seven hundred dinars and said, ‘O ‘Adha’fir you can spend it; I do not have any desire for it but I loved that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, finds me working for its profits.’ ‘Adha’fir has said, ‘I made one hundred dinar profit with it. During al- Tawaf I said to him, “I pra