Ramadan is coming, and I have nothing to spend. Please send 1000 dirhams [silver coins] to me as a loan without any interest.’ So the ‘Alawi sent him a bag containing 1000 dirhams [silver coins] to him. After a short while Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه received a letter from his another friend with the following message, ‘I need 1000 dirhams to spend in the blessed month of Ramadan.’ Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه sent him the same bag of dirhams.’ The next day, the ‘Alawi friend who gave Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه the dirhams and the friend who received the dirhams from Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه both came to the house of Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. ‘Alawi friend said, ‘The blessed month of Ramadan is coming and I had nothing except for these 1000 dirhams, but when I received your letter I send all of my 1000 dirhams to you. For my own need, I wrote a letter to this friend of mine to send me 1000 dirhams as a loan. He sent me the same bag of dirhams I sent to you. So it has been learnt that you borrowed dirhams from me, I borrowed dirhams from this friend of mine and he borrowed from you. I sent you the bag which you sent to him, and he sent me the same bag.’ Then with mutual consent these three personages shared the money between themselves.

The following night Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was privileged to have a dream in which he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه saw the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘You will get a lot tomorrow.’ The next day, the chief Yahya Barmaki called Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه and asked, ‘Last night I had a dream in which I saw you worried; what’s the matter?’ Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَالٰی عَـلَيْه told him the entire story. Yahya Barmaki replied, ‘I cannot say as to which of you is more generous. Undoubtedly, you all three are generous and deserve to be respected. The chief then gave 30,000 dirhams (silver coins) to Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه and 20,000 dirhams each to the other two. Further, he also appointed Sayyiduna Waaqidi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه as a Judge.

(Hujjatullahi-‘alal-‘Aalameen, pp. 577; summarised)

صَـلُّوا عَلَى الْـحَـبِيْب                                                         صَـلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلٰى مُـحَـمَّد

O the devotees of Rasool! From the above-mentioned parable it has become obvious that Muslims are generous; Muslims prefer others’ choice to their