Al-Kāfi - The Book of Commerce

Al-Kāfi - The Book of Commerce Chapter: Promoting The Quest For Sustenance And Work To Make A Living ِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْ٠َّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ الشَّعْرَانِيِّ عَنْ سُلَيْ٠ُعَلَّى بْنِ خُنَيْسٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَأَلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) عَنْ رَجُلٍ وَأَنَا عِنْدَهُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَصَابَتْهُ الْحَاجَةُ قَالَ فَ٠َا يَصْنَعُ الْيَوْ٠َ قِيلَ فِي الْبَيْتِ يَعْبُدُ رَبَّهُ قَالَ فَ٠ِنْ أَيْنَ قُوتُهُ قِيلَ ٠ِنْ عِنْدِ بَعْضِ إِخْوَانِهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) وَاللهِ لَلَّذِي يَقُوتُهُ أَشَدُّ عِبَادَةً ٠4.

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from abu Talib al-Sha‘raniy from Sulayman ibn Mu’alla’ ibn Khunays from his father who has said the following: “Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked about a man, when I was present, and it was said to him, ‘He has become very needy.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘What is he doing today?’ It was said, ‘He is in his home worshipping his Lord.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘Wherefrom he receives for his living?’ It was said, ’It comes from a certain one of his brothers.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘By Allah, the one who provides him his living does a much more powerful worship than his worship.’” ضعيف - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (19/22))