I sent the sac containing the thousand dirhams...

I sent the sac containing the thousand dirhams, which I had taken as loan, to him so that so that he could be relieved of his problem. It was not long before both, the A’lawi friend as well as one to whom I had sent the money, arrived at my place. The A’lawi enquired: What did you do with the money that I sent to you? I said: I have utilized it in a good deed. Hearing this he laughed and, placing that sac of money before me, said: Having sent you the money,I had no more money left.

With the month of Ramadhan approaching, I decided to seek some money from this friend, only to receive the sac with my own seal upon it, which I had sent for you. As all of us are in need, we have come here so that we distribute the money amongst ourselves till such time that God provides an opening for us. We divided the money amongst ourselves and parted from each other. However within the first few days of the month of Ramadhan all the money was exhausted.

One day Yahya Ibn Khaalid summoned me; when I presented myself before him, he said: I have dreamt that you are faced with poverty. Tell me the truth. When I narrated to him the past incidents, he was greatly astonished, and subsequently ordered thirty thousand dirhams to be given to me and ten thousand dirhams to be given to each of the other two friends.

It was because of our concern and care towards fulfilling the needs of our brethren that this windfall came our way.[^7] Extinguishing the Lamp Haarith says: One night I was engaged in conversation with Amirul Mu'mineen (peace be upon him). As we talked, I said to him (peace be upon him): I am in need of something. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: O’ Haarith! Do you regard me worthy of informing me of your need?

Of course O’ Ali: I said When he heard this, the Imam (peace be upon him) suddenly rose from his place and extinguished the lamp; then, with great affection and compassion he sat down beside me and said: Do you know why I have extinguished the lamp? I have done this so that you can speak out all that is there in your heart without any kind of formality, and that I do not see the embarrassment upon your face.

Now speak out all that you desire to state for I have heard the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) say: “When the needs of a person are placed in the heart of another, they becomes a divine trust, which must be concealed from others; the one who conceals them, shall be given the rewards of worship.