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Black Marketing Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (‘a) had a large family. Obviously, his domestic needs were also
proportionately greater. He decided to invest some capital in trade, so he (‘a) called his serving man Musaddaf,
and handing him 1000 dinars, told him to go to Egypt with tradable goods and
sell them there. Musaddaf did as told, and joined a caravan of traders going to
Egypt. On their way they met a group coming back from
Egypt. They told them that the goods they were carrying to sell were in great
demand there, and would fetch them a good price. On reaching Egypt they found the information
they had received to be absolutely correct. They held a meeting and decided
they would not sell their goods for less than double its price, a 100% profit.
They pledged not to let each other down, and refused to supply the needs of
their fellow Muslims in Egypt. They emerged successful and sold all they had
with double the amount of capital they had invested in stocks. On his return, Musaddaf triumphantly placed
two pouches of dinars before the Imam (‘a).
The Imam (‘a) said, ‘What is the meaning of these two?’ He replied, all smiles, ‘One contains your
capital, the other your profit. Both amounts are equal.’ ‘What?’ said Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (‘a). ‘Yes, I mean it. We made a 100 % profit with
your money.’ ‘What? You certainly need to explain.’ ‘Well, we
learnt that the goods we had bought to trade in Egypt were direly needed by
them, so we all joined hands to sell them for double the price. All of us
remained united and the people became helpless and paid the amount for what
they needed badly.’ ‘You mean you united together to black market
your goods?’ SubhanAllah! You black market your goods and expect me to enjoy
its profit. I’m afraid, I cannot accept such money.’ He (‘a) then picked up one pouch of 1000 dinars and said, ‘This is my hard earned lawful money. Pick up
the other pouch. I refuse to have anything to do with it.’ He then addressed his serving man thus,
‘Musaddaf! It is much easier to wield the sword than earn lawful money. In
other words, earning lawful money is much more difficult than wielding the
sword.’ Dead Father’s Debts ‘Mother, dear Mother!’ The woeful cry of a
young man was heard in the silence of the dark night. A caravan was travelling from Medina to an
outpost. The Holy Prophet (s), who
always followed the caravan to keep an eye on the weak and feeble members on
the journey, in case left behind, heard the voice. Reaching the spot, he (s) found this very anxious young man,
standing atop his camel’s back, wailing aloud for help. The Holy Prophet (s) asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Jaber ibn e Abdullah’, he replied. ‘Why are you so afraid and anxious?’ ‘O Messenger of Allah! My camel is old and
weak. It is exhausted and refuses to get up. I am afraid of being left behind,
while the caravan is moving with such speed.’ ‘Do you have a rod?’ ‘Yes, here it is.’ The Holy Prophet (s) used the rod to help the camel stand. He (s) then made it sit
down again. He (s) then told Jaber to
seat himself on its back. Holding the bridle in his hand he (s) made the camel rise. After that the
camel moved slowly but steadily. On the way, The Holy Prophet (s) conversed affectionately with him,
begging forgiveness from Allah, for him, 35 times, Jaber counted. ‘How many brothers and sisters do you have?’ ‘I have seven sisters and am the only son.’ ‘Have you paid off your father’s debts?’ ‘Not all. Some is still due.’ ‘Talk to the debtors on your return to Medina,
and come to me during the date-picking season.’ ‘I will.’ ‘Are you married?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Who did you marry?’ ‘I married a widow of Medina.’ ‘A young virgin would have been more suitable
for one as young as you.’ ‘I have young, naive sisters. I thought a
sensible, experienced woman would be more beneficial to the family than another
naïve young girl.’ ‘That was a very wise decision. How much did
you pay for this camel?’ ‘Five gold coins.’ ‘I have the exact amount. Come and take its
price from me in Medina.’ The journey ended and everyone got busy in the
day’s work. After some days they returned to Medina. Jaber brought his camel to
hand it over to the Holy Prophet (s). On seeing him The Holy Prophet (s) called out to Bilal and said, ‘Give
him 5 gold coins for the camel and 3 gold coins to pay his father Abdullah’s
debts. Return the camel to him for his use.’ Turning to Jaber, he (s) asked, ‘Have you
spoken to your father’s debtors?’ ‘Not yet.’ ‘Are the things left behind by your father not
sufficient to pay off his debts?’ ‘No, I’m afraid not.’ ‘Remind me during the date-picking season.’ The season soon arrived. The Holy Prophet (s) went with Jaber, paid off his
father’s debt, and gave him some extra money to fullfill his domestic
responsibilities. Decide Wages before Hiring One day, Imam Reza (‘a) went with his friend Suleman ibn e Jafar for some work out of
town. They returned at sunset and the Imam invited Suleman to stop over for the
night. He accepted. As soon as they entered the exterior of the house, the Imam
(‘a) saw all his serving men busy in
the garden, planting, weeding, mowing and watering the flower- beds. The Imam (‘a) noticed a stranger working besides
them. He called one of his workers and asked, ‘Who
is that person?’ The man replied, ‘He is a person we hired for
the day to finish all the work quickly.’ ‘Good. What wages did you hire him on?’ ‘We thought of paying him his due after the
work was done.’ The Imam (‘a)
suddenly looked very annoyed. Displeasure was written all over his face. Sulaiman felt he would severely punish his
men. He came closer and asked,’ What is it that has made you so depressed and
angry?’ ‘Sulaiman, I have told these people time and
again, to hire a person only after deciding the day’s wages. It is unwise to
hire a person without knowing what he would wish to earn at the end of the
day’s work. If the wages are decided, one can pay him a little more if he has
worked well. That will please him and he will leave your place happy and
grateful, and always be willing to work for you in future. You will both be
pleased with each other. Even if paid what was decided at the beginning, he
will be satisfied. However, if the wages are not mutually agreed upon, no
matter what you give him, he will not be grateful at all, in fact, he is bound
to feel he deserved more than he received.’ Services Offered to Tyrants Haroon ur Rashid, the Abbasid ruler, was
informed that Safwan Jamal had sold all his camels. The news upset him because
he was preparing to go for Hajj and had hired many camels to carry the
womenfolk and supplies. Safwan had also signed a contract to supply him with a
certain number of camels. Haroon felt there was some special reason for this
uncommon behaviour, because Safwan had offered this service to him for many
years, and not once had he failed him. He sent for Safwan, and when he arrived, asked
him, ‘Is it true that you have sold all your camels? ‘Yes, O Leader of believers.’ ‘Why?’ ‘I’m aging and find the job difficult. The
children are also not interested in continuing the business. I realized the
best solution lay in selling the beasts of burden.’ ‘Tell me the true reason behind your action.’ ‘I just told you.’ ‘I think I know who has prompted this action
of yours. Musa al Kazim, on learning about our contract, has forbidden you to
offer your services to me and sell your animals. This is the real reason behind
your sudden decision.’ His voice reflected his rage and he said, ‘Had there
been no previous relationship between us, I would have separated your head from
your body this instant.’ Haroon was right. He considered Safwan to be
one of his close friends and allies and enjoyed a very pleasant relationship
with him. But Safwan was a true believer and sincere follower of the Ahl al
Bayt (‘a). One day, after signing the
contract with Haroon, he came to visit Imam Musa e Kazim (‘a). The Imam (‘a)
said, ‘Safwan, with the exception of one action all your deeds are good.’ Safwan eagerly asked, ‘Ya ibne Rasool Allah,
and what is that one act?’ ‘You giving your camels on hire to Haroon.’ ‘Ya ibne Rasool Allah, I’m not giving him my
animals for a forbidden act. He is hiring them to perform Hajj. I shall not
even accompany him on the journey, but send some of my employees with my
servants.’ ‘Answer me, Safwan, you have given him your
camels on hire. He will use them and you will receive money for them. You will
hope that he remains alive to pay you the money promised in the contract. Am I
right?’ ‘Yes, of course.’ ‘Whoever wishes for the continuance of a
tyrant will be party to his tyrannical actions, and whoever is included in the
group of tyrants will go to hell.’ Safwan
did not waste a single moment in deciding to sell his camels and escape being
included in Haroon’s group. He sold his camels to free himself of the contract
even if it meant losing his life. Being a true believer, taking this decision
was easier than displeasing Almighty Allah. Money Well Spent The Holy Prophet (s) gave Imam Ali (‘a) 12
dirhams to purchase a long shirt for him. Imam Ali (‘a) bought a shirt and gave it to him (s). The Holy Prophet (s) asked, ‘How much did it cost?’ ‘Twelve dirhams.’ ‘I am afraid I wouldn’t like to wear something
so expensive. If the shopkeeper agrees could you return it and buy something
cheaper?’ ‘I’ll see, Ya Rasool Allah.’ Imam Ali (‘a)
spoke to the shopkeeper and he agreed to return the money and keep the shirt. Then both (s)
went towards the market together. On the way, they saw a young slave-girl
sitting in a corner of the street and crying. The Holy Prophet (s) went to her and asked
affectionately, ‘Why are you crying?’ ‘My master gave me four dirhams to fetch goods
from the market. I have lost them and can’t find them. I don’t have the courage
to go home.’ The Holy Prophet (s) gave her four dirhams and told her to buy the needful and go
home. He then went to a shop and bought a shirt for
four dirhams, and wore it. On the way home, a man, totally nude, was seen.
Quickly, the Holy Prophet (s) took
off his shirt and made him wear it. He (s) then went back to the shop and
bought himself another shirt for four dirhams. On the way back, he found the
slave-girl sitting with all the goods and nervously looking around. The Holy Prophet (s) asked, ‘Why have you not gone home?’ ‘I am afraid to go home because my master will
ask me why I took so long and might beat me.’ ‘Give me your address. I shall accompany you
so that no one says anything to you.’ They reached the place and the girl stopped,
pointing to the house where she lived. The Holy Prophet (s) went close to the door and said loudly, ‘ Assalam o Alaikum,
dwellers of this home.’ There was no answer. He (s) repeated the greeting again but was met with silence. The third
time, the inmates all replied in unison, ‘Assalam o alaikum wa rahmatullah e wa
barakatahu, Ya Rasool Allah.’ ‘Why did you not respond the first time? Did
you not hear my voice the first two times? ‘We heard and recognized your voice the very
first time.’ ‘Then why did you not respond?’ ‘Your greetings bring blessings with them, Ya
Rasool Allah. We wanted to gain as many as we could.’ ‘I have come to ask you to excuse your
slave-girl for being late, and not punish her.’ ‘Your coming is such a blessing for us that I
release her from bondage this instant.’ The Holy Prophet (s) looked at Imam Ali (‘a)
and smiled, ‘Alhamdolillah! These 12 dirhams were so blessed, that they clothed
two bodies and freed one slave-girl.’ Credibility ensures Success Abdur Rahman ibn e Sayaba Kufi was a young man
who had recently lost his father. Besides his father’s death, his family was
also a victim of poverty and unemployment. In short, he was miserably unhappy.
One day, while he sat distraught, somebody knocked at the door. It happened to
be his father’s friend. After offering his condolence he asked, ‘Did
your father leave some money behind?’ ‘No.’ ‘Here are 1000 dirhams. Invest them in a
business; consider them as your principal amount. Use only the profit on
domestic needs.’ Handing him the money, he bade farewell and left. Abdur
Rahman was very obliged and relieved. He took the money and related the entire
incident to his mother. Following his patron’s advice, he converted the money
into stock and began to trade his goods by placing them in a shop in the
marketplace. In a short period, his business brought great profit. He spent the
profit with great care and increased his merchandise. He met with greater
success and the profit money increased, so much so that he decided that Hajj
was now obligatory upon him. He spoke to his mother about his decision. She
advised him to return the 1000 dirhams, that had brought so much prosperity, to
their generous donor. He went to the gracious friend and after
greeting him, placed the pouch of money before him saying, ‘I came to return
your money.’ The friend thought the money was being
returned because it was not sufficient. He said, ‘If the money was insufficient
I’ll increase the amount.’ ‘They were truly blessed. I wanted to thank
you for your help and return your amount to you. With this money I have
expanded my business and earned so much profit that I am now able to return
your amount and perform Hajj.’ Abdur Rahman returned home and starting making
preparations for Hajj. After performing Hajj, he went to Medina and accompanied
the large group of people going to pay their respects to Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (‘a). He sat down quietly in a corner
and watched people interact with the Imam (‘a),
present questions and receive answers. After the crowd decreased, the Imam (‘a) signaled to him to come near. When
he was close enough, the Imam (‘a)
asked, ‘Is there something you need?’ Abdur Rahman introduced himself. The Imam knew
his father and asked about his welfare. On learning of his demise he said,
‘Sad, very sad! May he receive Allah’s blessings.’ After that he enquired, ‘Did you inherit money
from your father?’ ‘No. There was nothing at all.’ ‘How have you performed Hajj, then?’ ‘A friend of my father gave me 1000 dirhams to
invest in some business, which I did. Thanks to Allah, I made great profit
and..’ The Imam (‘a)
interrupted him and asked, ‘What did you do about the 1000 dirhams that you
received from a friend?’ ‘My mother advised me to return the money
before performing Hajj. I went to return the money to him myself.’ ‘Well done! Would you wish me to counsel you
here?’ ‘It will be my good fortune if you do.’ ‘Remember, honesty and integrity is obligatory
upon you. A man’s credibility makes him a shareholder of others’ wealth. Mine or Ours The price of grain and bread was rising
gradually in Medina. Everyone was busy trying to gather a whole year’s stock of
grain, and he who had it was preserving it. Among the population were the poor,
who earned their daily bread. Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (‘a) enquired from M’utab, his incharge of essential items, ‘Do we
have grain in the house?’ ‘Yes, enough to last a few months, Ya ibn e
Rasool Allah.’ ‘Take it to the market and sell it to the
people.’ ‘Ya ibn e Rasool Allah, there is a lack of
grain in Medina, if we sell all our grain we will face difficulty in purchasing
more.’ M’utab did as ordered and, after selling all
the grain, came and reported to the Imam (‘a). He (‘a)
instructed him, thus: ‘From today onwards, our bread will be bought daily from
the baking oven. There should be no difference between my bread and the bread
available to others. It must contain 50% grain and 50% barley. Thanks to Allah,
I can afford to eat whole grain bread for a whole year, but I will not do
anything that makes me answerable for being insensitive to the collective needs
of the population.’ |
