Give it to some poor person, but do let him know that this Roti has Qadi’s kneaded flour mixed in it.’

Coincidently, no poor person came for 40 days and by then, the Roti began to give off a foul-smell. The servant put the Roti in the river Tigris. What can be said about the piety of Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه! After that day, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه never ate the fish of the river Tigris. (Tazkira-tul-Awliya, pp. 197)

2      Sayyiduna Idrees Haddaad رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه states: Once, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه travelled to Makkah to perform Hajj. Over there, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه ran out of money. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه had a bucket with him. He pawned the bucket for something with a greengrocer.

When Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ removed his poverty, he went back to the greengrocer and asked for his bucket back while paying him the money. The green-grocer stood up, presenting 2 look-alike buckets and said: ‘I am not sure as to which one from these two is yours. You may take whichever you want.’

Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه replied: ‘This situation has become doubtful to me as to which one is mine. By Allah Almighty! I will not take it at all.’

The greengrocer then said: ‘By Allah Almighty! I will not leave it either without giving it away.’ Eventually, both of them agreed to sell both buckets and give the money in charity. (Al-Raud-ul-Faaiq, pp. 221)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه! You heard how pious and righteous Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal           رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه was that he did not take the bucket back simply out of the fear that the bucket might be someone else’s, and on the Day of Judgement, he may stand to lose rather than gain.

We also found out that former traders would also be enriched with the divine fear and piety. Moreover, despite being associated with the profession of trade, they did not allow the bad habit such as greed come near them.

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ also grant us a Madani mind-set like his, such fear of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ like his, such caution like his, such piety like his and such contentment like his.

اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ  الۡاَمِيۡنصَلَّى  اللّٰهُ  عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد