These are my last words.

These are my last words. I do not want to say anything more." Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (A. S.) said: "l would like to start with the last part of your speech. Your accusations that I want money, position and a comfortable life would have been justified if I was living like a caliph. You have seen today that I have eaten a few morsels of bread only and nothing else.

I invite you to my house to see for yourself what I will have for dinner and how I live." "Abu Shakir, if I wanted to acquire wealth and have a good life, as you say, I was not obliged to teach and preach to get rich. I would have earned money and got rich by my knowledge of chemistry. Another way to get rich was to do business. I have more knowledge' about foreign markets than any merchant in Medina. I know what goods are produced in different countries and where to sell them for profit.

I also know how to bring them here to reduce the cost of transport. Our merchants import goods only from Syria, Iraq, Egypt and some other Arab countries. They do not know what goods are available in Isphahan, Rasht and Rome, otherwise they would have imported them and sold them with profit." "Abu Shakir, you have said that I ask the people to worship Allah to deceive them and to get rich. I must tell you that I have never taken anything from anyone, except some fruits as presents.

One of my friends sends to me every year fresh dates from his garden and another some pomegranates from Taif. I accept these presents so that they may not get offended." "I have heard, O Abu Shakir, that your father was a pearl merchant. Perhaps you may have some knowledge about pearls. But I know all about pearls and precious stones. I can also appraise their market value. If I wanted to get rich I would have worked as a jeweller. Can you test and recognise a precious stone?

Do you know how many kinds of rubies and emeralds there are in the world?" "I know nothing about them", replied Abu Shakir. "Do you know how many kinds of diamonds there are and what colours they have?" asked Imam Jafar as-Sadiq. "I do not know", replied Abu Shakir. Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (A.S) said: "I am not a jeweller, but I know all about the pearls and precious stones. I also know where they come from.

All jewelers must know about gems, what I know, but few of them know their sources." "Do you know what makes a diamond shine?" "I never was a diamond merchant, nor was my father. How can I know why diamonds shine?; replied Abu Shakir.