Friday Journal
: 09th October 1998

Articles in this issue

All the praise to Allah

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) was sitting with his companions eating some
grapes. A poor man came by and asked for help. Imam Sadiq (a.s.)
offered him some grapes. The poor man rejected it and said: "give
me money" Imam: "No sir, I have no money on me. "The
poor man got hopeless and walked away. Then he changed his mind
and returned saying: "Then give me that grape." Imam:
"No sir" and Imam refused to give him grapes.

After a short while another poor man came by and asked for help.
Imam offered him some grapes. He took them and said:" Thanks
to Allah that He is the One who feeds His servants." Imam heard
this and asked him to wait and gave the poor man more grapes. The
man again thanked Allah. Imam told him again: "Stop...don't
go anywhere please!", then he asked his companions to put some
money together and give it to the poor man. The poor man accepted
the money and said: "Oh Allah, thank and praise is always due
to You. You have no associates or helpers." Imam did not have
anything else to give him, so he took out his jacket and gave it
to the poor man. The poor man got amazed by Imam's generosity and
thanked him for that help. After that, Imam Sadiq (a.s.) stopped
giving him and the poor man went on his way. Imam's companions commented
in their diary: "If the poor man had kept on praising Allah,
Imam Sadiq (a.s.) would have kept on giving him more."