Sometimes he went into the orchards of Madina which belonged...

Sometimes he went into the orchards of Madina which belonged to non-Muslims who belonged to the Book, and worked there for a wage. Then he bought wheat or barley which his wife turned into dough and bread. And when they came across a poor or needy person or an orphan or a captive, they served him in preference to themselves. This was Ali's asceticism. The asceticism of Ali (a.s.) was based on sympathy, and sympathy is human. He did not even make full use of his legitimate earning.

He gave himself only the wage of a soldier out of the public fund and he was not willing to sleep with a square meal. Why? Because his heart and conscience did not allow him. He said: "There are many hungry ones around me. How can I sleep with a full stomach? He was not referring only to his neighbours. He was thinking of the Islamic lands as a whole in which someone might be in dire want of a loaf of bread.

If you find such an example of asceticism, he deserves being honoured by the whole humanity. But we seem to call our incapability, immobility and deadness asceticism. But Ali (a.s.) said: "Should I be one of those about whom they say; 'it is enough pain for you to sleep in satiety while others are hungry around you?' The Prophet (s.a.w.) in his old age was exerting himself with a self-sacrificing spirit so much that he was inspired in a Qur'anic verse to observe moderation.

Once the Prophet's companions noticed that the Prophet (s.a.w.) did not arrive in time for prayer. It was found later that an ill-clad man had come to his house at that hour, and the Prophet had nothing to offer him except his own clothes and this delayed his prayer. The Prophet had sent someone to buy the man a robe. The man bought a fine one for twelve Dirhams.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) on seeing the robe said: "I can do with a cheaper one." The Prophet (s.a.w.) went out and obtained refund, and on the way back he met a slave girl who was weeping. Asked why, she said that she had lost four Dirhams of her master. He gave her four Dirhams out of the twelve and bought two robes with the remainder, giving one of them to the ill-clad man. Later the Prophet (s.a.w.) came across the same girl who was again found crying.

He asked her the reason, and she said; "If I go back I will be beaten (because I took your money) ." The Prophet (s.a.w.) offered to accompany her. On reaching her house he shouted his customary greetings from outside. He repeated his greetings three times as was his habit.