The Imam then ordered his agent to give the bedouin a grant...

The Imam then ordered his agent to give the bedouin a grant of one thousand dinars, the later exclaimed: "Gold or silver dinars?" Imam ‘Ali (as) replied: "They are both just stones to me, so give the beduin that which is more beneficial to him." Here we relate several narrations, which speak of Fatima’s (sa) modesty and generosity: The author of the book Bisharat A-Moustafa was quoted by Al-Bihar v.10 to have written: Imam Sadiq (as) quoted Jabir Ibn Abdullah Al-Ansari as saying: "One day when we had finished the Asr prayer with the Messenger of Allah an old Arab immigrant man, who was wearing worn-out clothes and was barely able to walk because of his old age and weakness came by.

The Prophet asked the old man about his affair; the old man answered: `Prophet of Allah I am starving, so feed me, I am naked, so clothe me, and poor, so help me. The Prophet then said: `Surely I find nothing to give you. Yet, he who guides to goodness is equal to him who performs it. So go to the house of she who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love her. The one who prefers Allah over herself I mean Fatima.' Fatima’s (sa) house was near the Prophet's (as) house.

He asked Bilal to lead the man to her house. When the old man reached the house, he cried out: `Peace be upon you, O household of prophethood, the (dwellers of the place where) angels frequently visit, where Gabriel-the holy spirit-descends to bring what the Lord of the Worlds reveals.' Fatima az-Zahra (sa) said: `Peace be upon you; who are you?' The old Beduin answered: `I am an old Arab man; I have immigrated to your father, The Master of mankind, from a distant place.

Daughter of Muhammad, I am hungry and in need of clothing, so console me-may Allah bless you.' When this occurred, the Prophet (S), ‘Ali (as), and Fatima az-Zahra (sa) had not eaten for three days. Yet, Fatima az-Zahra (sa) gave him a tanned ram skin, which was used as Al-Hasan (as), and Al-Husayn's (as) bed.

Then Fatima az-Zahra (sa) told the poor man: `Take this, may Allah substitute it for you by a better gift by selling it.' The old man replied: Daughter of Muhammad, I complain to you of hunger and you give me a ram's skin? How can I eat with this?' When Fatima heard what the old man had to say, she gave him the necklace, which was given to her by Fatima Bint Hamza Ibn Abd al-Muttalib.

The old man took the necklace and went to the Mosque to meet the Prophet who was sitting in the presence of his companions.