Hazrat Ali (A.

Hazrat Ali (A.S.) in response said "The guest must come first before ourselves and the children" Hazrat Fatima (A.S.) persuaded the children to sleep hungry that night. And Hazrat Ali (A.S.) reduced the light of the lantern. He then invited the guest to the meal in the semi-darkened room. He sat with him pretending as if he was also eating but in fact he did not eat lest the guest went hungry.

Hazrat Ali - Fatima and their children fed the guest for the pleasure of Allah while remaining hungry themselves.

This self-sacrifice was so much appreciated by Allah that the following ayat in the Holy Quran was revealed in their praise: "And those who made their abode in the city and in the faith before them love those who have fled to them, and do not find in their hearts a need of what they are given, and prefer (them) before themselves though poverty may afflict them, and whoever is preserved from the niggardliness of his soul, these it is that are the successful ones." (59:9) A Splendid Example of Staunch Faith Abu Baseer was one of the faithful companions of Imam Jaffer Sadiq (A.S.) he relates that once sitting with the Imam, a woman came in to ask a question : "I am suffering from a disease.

Doctors in Iraq have prescribed alcohol as the remedy. Do you, Oh Imam, permit me to drink alcohol?" The Imam in reply asked her: "According to what you say, doctors have prescribed alcohol as medicine for your sickness, why then don't you drink?" The woman responded by saying: "I am your follower, if you permit me to take alcohol, I shall do so. If not, I shall not.

Because if tomorrow on Day of Judgement I am asked by Allah, I shall say I did so with the permission of my Imam." Imam Jaffer Sadiq'(A.S.) on hearing this turned to Abu Baseer and said: "Do you hear what this woman has to say?" In other words, do you not wonder and appreciate the staunch faith of this woman? Despite her illness, she does not follow the doctor's order to take alcohol but seeks our permission first.

Thereafter the Imam said: "By the name of Allah, I do not permit you to drink even a drop of that because it is Haram. And should you drink, you will repent at that moment when your soul reaches here." So saying, the Imam pointed to his throat. And three times he asked: "Do you understand what I say?" And the woman said "Yes".