Saba Youth

One day, Prophet Isa (A) saw a woman who was blind, had no arms, and no feet. He approached her and said Salaam, and she replied “Asaalamu Alaka ya Ruhallah” 

Surprised, the Prophet (S) asked, “How did you recognize me?” 

She replied, “Allah has taken away my eyes, but has given me a heart full of noor.” 

One of them Imams was once working very hard on a field. It was hot and sunny, and the Imam (A) was digging the ground. A person passed by and saw him sweating and working away at the ground.

He said to the Imam (A), "Oh son of the Prophet, have you no shame?"

The Imam (A) looked up from his work and asked "Why, what have I done?"

The man answered, "You are working so hard for this world, and are forgetting your God."

The Imam replied, "I am Baqir."

The man continued, "You are the son of a woman who was a cook."
 "Cooking was her profession," replied the Imam.

"You are the son of a black and foul-mouthed woman," the man carried on.

"If you are right, may God forgive her, and if you are lying, may God forgive you,” answered the great Imam (A).

The Prophet (S) asked, “Oh Angel, why do you have so many hands and fingers?”

The Angel replied, “These are so I can count every drop of rain that has fallen. I know exactly where each drop has landed, whether in the jungle or the sea. I even know how many drops of rain have fallen since the world was created. But there is one thing that I cannot count.”

The Prophet (S) asked, “What is that?”

One day, a man was complaining to a great scholar. The scholar said, “Would you like to have 10,000 dinars instead of your eyes?”

The man said, “Of course not! I wouldn’t trade my two eyes for anything in this world.”

The scholar then asked, “Would you trade your intelligence for 10,000 dinars?”

The man again said, “Never!”

He asked, “What about hour ears, hands, or feet?”

The man replied, “Never!”

Many of the Holy Prophet’s (S) companions were poor, but the Holy Prophet (S) loved them equally. He would visit them occasionally and was like an elder brother to them. The Holy Prophet (S) was very friendly and warm with them and would eat with them.  He cared for them and helped them out whenever possible. The Prophet (S) helped them with money as well as food. The poor were comfortable approaching the Holy Prophet (S). The wealthy people in town were not happy at his friendship with them, however.

Once, one of the Prophet’s (S) poor companions came to see him while he had a rich man sitting by his side. The rich man seemed to be disturbed. He pulled his robe back and moved away so that the poor man might not dirty his expensive clothes. It seemed as though he was disgusted by the poor man. 

The Holy Prophet (S) was extremely saddened by the rich man’s behavior. The Prophet (S) had told the Muslims several times to not be disrespectful to the less fortunate, since all Muslims were brothers,and that no one should be demeaned on the basis of their financial status.

The Holy Prophet (S) said to the rich man, “Why did you do that? Did you fear his poverty would be transferred to you or your wealth may pass over to him?” The rich man suddenly understood what a huge mistake he had made. He was regretful and wanted to compensate for this terrible wrongdoing. He said, “O Prophet of God! Due to my mistake, I would like to give half of all my wealth to this Muslim brother.”

The Prophet (S) turned to the poor man and said, “Are you ready to accept half his wealth?”

Sheikh Abbas Qumi, the author of Mafatih al-Jinan, narrates: 

Sheikh ‘Abdul Razzaq would always give Fiqh lessons in the haram of Syeda Ma’sooma (A), the sister of Imam Ali ibn Musa ar-Redha (A). My father, Karbalaei Muhammad Redha, would enjoy listening to his lectures very much to the extent that he would attend his class every single day. After each lesson, Sheikh ‘Abdul Razzaq would open my book, Manaazil al-Akhirah, and read from it to his audience. 

One day, my father called me and said, “Sheikh Abbas, I wish you were more like Sheikh ‘Abdul Razzaq and would speak from the minbar like he does from the book that he reads to us.” 

I thought to myself, “I should say ‘Dear father, I am the author of that book that Sheikh ‘Abdul Razzaq is reading to you!’”
As I was about to say this, I held my tongue and remained silent. I thought to myself, “Did I write this book for my father or for Allah?” I commanded myself not to say anything. This is where I must keep my silence. This is where I have to swallow what I want to say and not be proud. If my deeds were for Allah, then what benefit does showing off to others have?”