Furthermore...

Furthermore, satisfaction supplies with spiritual awakening and discerning, and urges to ready for the life to come, practice righteous deeds, and gain the incentives of happiness. It is related that al-Khalil Ibn Ahmed al-Farahidi[^5] was suffering starvation among the poor people of Basra while others were benefiting by the profits of his writing works. Once, Sulaiman Ibn Ali the Abbasid summoned him to attend in al-Ahwaz for teaching his son.

Al-Khalil served the messenger of Sulaiman few pieces of dry bread and said: “You can eat this because I do not have anything else. As long as I can find such pieces of bread, I am not in need for Sulaiman.” When the messenger asked al-Khalil for an answer for Sulaiman, the latter said as poetic verses--: “Tell Sulaiman that I am not in need for him since I am rich but without possessing any fortune. The true poverty lies in one’s spirit, not in the scarce of money.

The true richness, as well, lies in one’s spirit, not in the abundance of fortune. Sustenance is measured and already decided. Weakness will not decrease the sustenance, and frequent movements will not increase it[^6].” Othman Ibn Affan, once, sent a bag of dirhams to Abu Dharr and told the slave who would carry them that he would be manumitted if Abu Dharr would accept it. Abu Dharr, however, did not accept that present in spite of the slave’s importunate insistence.

“Please,” said the slave, “accept it, for I will be manumitted if you do.” Abu Dharr answered: “But I will be enslaved if I do[^7]!” Deoganes al-Kelbi was one of the famous wise men of Greece. He was so ascetic. He did not possess anything and did not live in a house. Alexander, once, summoned him. He said to the messenger of Alexander: “Tell him: the same thing that prevented you from coming to me has prevented me from coming to you.