He said: ‘Do you know who is pouring water over your hands?’ He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه replied: ‘No’. The king then said: ‘Haroon’. Then (Sayyiduna Abu Mu’awiyah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه gave him Du’a and) said: ‘The way you revered knowledge, may Allah Almighty also revere you in the same manner.’ Haroon Rasheed said: ‘I did all this just to get this Du’a.’ (Malfuzaat-e-A’la Hazrat, pp. 145 summarised) 

The spiritual insight of Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه

Similarly, it has been reported for Sayyiduna Qadi Abu Yusuf Ya’qoob Bin Ibraheem رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه that his father passed away when he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was young. In order to run the house, his mother sent him to a launderer.

Once, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه reached the gathering of Imam e A’zam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. He liked his teachings so much that he left the launderer and joined the gathering of Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. Whenever his mother would find out about it, she would take him away from there and leave him again with the launderer.

When this matter went to the next level, then his mother said to Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه: ‘There is no one to look after this child. I sent him to the launderer so that he may earn and bring something back. But you have spoiled him.’

Sayyiduna Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said to her: ‘O fortunate woman! Let him acquire the wealth of knowledge. The day is not far when he will enjoy eating lavish food’.

Listening to it, the mother of Sayyiduna Imam Abu Yusuf رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه became very angry. She said: ‘(You are making fun of us). How can poor people like us eat lavish food?’  

However, Sayyiduna Imam Abu Yusuf رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه persistently kept acquiring the knowledge of Deen; to the extent that a time came when he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was appointed at the rank of Qadi (Judge).

Once, the Caliph invited him. The Caliph put lavish food forward to him and said: ‘O Imam! Please eat this lavish food. It is not easy for us to prepare such lavish food every day.’ Listening to it made Sayyiduna Imam Abu Yusuf