proceeded to ask its inhabitants regarding how I could attain Halal sustenance which contained no form of doubt in its validity. Even after many days, I found nobody who could guide me in this matter.

Ultimately, I presented my issue to the Mashaaikh of Shaam, and they said, “If you wish to earn Halal sustenance, go the city of Tarsus. There, you will you find means of earning and attaining Halal sustenance, اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه.” Thus, I headed for the city of Tarsus this time. In pursuit of my aim, I wandered here and there, far and wide. On one particular day, I went to the seafront, in search of work by means of which I could earn Halal sustenance. A person approached me and said, “I am in need of a gardener to look after my grape garden. Are you willing to look after my garden in exchange for payment?” I replied in the affirmative, and said I was prepared to do this.

Thus, I went with the man and carried out my work with great effort and commitment. After a lengthy period of time had passed, the owner of the garden once decided to visit, along with a few of his friends. He called for me and said, “Bring us the sweetest grapes.” Using the branch of a tree, I proceeded to gather a cluster of grapes and placed them in a basket. Placing them in front of the owner, he took one bite and found the grapes to be sour. “O gardener!”, he exclaimed, “do you not feel shame? You have worked for so long in this garden, but still do not know which grapes are sour and which are sweet, even though you have probably eaten plenty of grapes here?”

“By Allah!”, I said in reply, “I have not eaten a single grape from this garden, so how do you expect me to know which are sour, and which are sweet? I was tasked with looking after this garden; therefore, I simply carry out my work but I have not eaten even a single grape.”

Hearing this astonishing reply, the owner of the garden turned to his friends and said, “What do you make of this? Is there anything more astounding than a person who has worked for so long in a garden, yet is