[^6] The (‘a) provided excellent practical examples in order...

[^6] The (‘a) provided excellent practical examples in order to emphasize the importance of work and clarified this principle empirically so that their followers would follow their examples. According to an authentic tradition, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as recounting the following: Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir used to say: I never thought that ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (‘a) would leave a successor as excellent as himself until I saw his son, Muhammad (‘a).

I wanted to give him a lesson, but he gave me one. On a hot day, I went to al-Madinah where I saw Imam al-Baqir (‘a). I said to myself, “A great man of Quraysh working at this hour of day in search of the material world! I will certainly give him some advice.” I approached and gave a salutation. Still catching his breath, he returned my greeting. Sweat was pouring from his head and face because of the heat. I said, “May Allah help you!

A great man of Quraysh is seeking worldly provisions at this time of the day! What will happen if death overtakes you in this situation?” He said, “If death overtakes me in this situation, I will be in a state of obedience to Almighty Allah. I am afraid of death only when I am committing a sin!” I said, “May Allah bless you! You are thoroughly right.

Verily, I do not have the desire to gain profits from this business even though profit is something desired; rather, I just want Almighty Allah to see me seeking His interests. My father made a one hundred dinar profit from the business he undertook. The Imam (‘a), having been informed of this, rejoiced and had my father add the profit to the capital. When my father died and the investment was still with him, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) summoned me and wrote down, “May Allah grant wellbeing to you and us!

I have given Abu-Muhammad one thousand seven hundred dinars to use them in business.