CONCERNING BENEVOLENCE
If thou art wise, incline towards the essential truth, for that remains,
while the things that are external pass away.
He who has neither knowledge, generosity, nor piety resembles a man in
form alone.
He sleeps at peace beneath the ground who made tranquil the hearts of men.
Give now of thy gold and bounty, for eventually will it pass from thy
grasp. Open the door of thy treasure to-day, for to-morrow the key will
not be in thy hands.
If thou would not be distressed on the Day of Judgment, forget not them
that are distressed.
Drive not the poor man empty from thy door, lest thou should wander
before the doors of strangers.
He protects the needy who fears that he himself may become needful of the
help of others.
Art not thou, too, a supplicant? Be grateful, and turn not away them that
supplicate thee.
STORY ILLUSTRATIVE OF DOING GOOD TO THE EVIL
A woman said to her husband: “Do not again buy bread from the baker in
this street. Make thy purchases in the market, for this man shows wheat
and sells barley,[12] and he has no customers but a swarm of flies.”
“O light of my life,” the husband answered, “pay no heed to his trickery.
In the hope of our custom has he settled in this place, and not humane
would it be to deprive him of his profits.”
Follow the path of the righteous, and, if thou stand upon thy feet,
stretch out thy hand to them that are fallen.
STORY CONCERNING FASTING
The wife of an officer of a king said to her husband: “Arise, and go to
the royal palace, that they may give thee food, for thy children are in
want.”
“The kitchen is closed to-day,” he answered; “last night the Sultan
resolved to fast awhile.”
In the despair of hunger, the woman bowed her head and murmured: “What
does the Sultan seek from his fasting when his breaking the fast means a
festival of joy for our children?”
One who eats that good may follow is better than a Mammon-worshipper who
continually fasts. Proper it is to fast with him who feeds the needy in
the morning.
STORY ILLUSTRATIVE OF PRACTICAL CHARITY
A certain man had generosity without the means of displaying it; his
pittance was unequal to his benevolence. (May riches never fall to the
mean, nor poverty be the lot of the generous!) His charities exceeding
the depth of his pocket, therefore was he always short of money.
One day a poor man wrote to him saying: “O thou of happy nature! Assist
me with funds, since for some time have I languished in prison.”
The generous man would have willingly acceded to the request, but he
possessed not so much as the smallest piece of money. But he sent someone
to the creditors of the prisoner with the message: “Free this man for a
few days, and I will be his security.”
Then did he visit the prisoner in his cell and say: “Arise, and fly with
haste from the city.”
When a sparrow sees open the door of its cage, it tarries not a moment.
Like the morning breeze, the prisoner flew from the land. Thereupon, they
seized his benefactor, saying: “Produce either the man or the money.”
Powerless to do either, he went to prison, for a bird escaped is ne’er
recaught. Long there did he remain, invoking help from none, nor
complaining, though he slept not at nights through restlessness.
A pious man came to him and said: “I did not think that thou wert
dishonest; why art thou here imprisoned?”
“No villainy have I committed,” he replied. “I saw a helpless man in
bonds and his freedom only in my own confinement. I did not deem it right
that I should live in comfort while another was fettered by the legs.”
Eventually he died, leaving a good name behind.
Happy is he whose name dies not! He who sleeps beneath the earth with a
heart that lives is better than he who lives with a soul that is dead,
for the former remains for ever.
STORY OF A MAN AND A THIRSTY DOG
In a desert a man found a dog that was dying from thirst. Using his hat
as a bucket, he fetched water from a well and gave it to the helpless
animal. The prophet of the time stated that God had forgiven the man his
sins because of his kindly act.
Reflect, if thou be a tyrant, and make a profession of benevolence.
He who shows kindness to a dog will not do less towards the good among
his fellows.
Be generous to the extent of thy power. If thou hast not dug a well in
the desert, at least place a lamp in a shrine.[13]
Charity distributed from an ox’s skin that is filled with treasure counts
for less than a dinar given from the wages of toil.
Every man’s burden is suited to his strength—heavy to the ant is the foot
of the locust.
Do good to others so that on the morrow God may not deal harshly with
thee.
Be lenient with thy slave, for he may one day become a king, like a pawn
that becomes a queen.
STORY APROPOS OF NEMESIS
A poor man complained of his distressed condition to one who was rich as
well as ill-dispositioned. The latter refused to help him, and turned
roughly upon him in anger.
The beggar’s heart bled by reason of this violence: “Strange!” he
reflected, “that this rich man should be of such forbidding countenance!
Perhaps he fears not the bitterness of begging.”
The rich man ordered his slave to drive the beggar away. As a result of
his ingratitude for the blessings that he enjoyed, Fortune forsook him,
and he lost all that he possessed. His slave passed into the hands of a
generous man of enlightened mind, who was as gladdened at the sight of a
beggar as the latter is at the sight of riches.[14]
One night a beggar asked alms of the latter, and he commanded his slave
to give the man to eat. When the slave took food to the supplicant he
involuntarily uttered a cry, and went back weeping.
“Why these tears?” his master asked.
“My heart is grieved at the plight of this unfortunate old man,” the
slave replied. “Once was he the owner of much wealth, and I his slave.”
The master smiled and said: “This is not cause for grief, O son. Time,
in its revolutions, is not unjust. Was not that indigent man formerly a
merchant who carried his head high in the air through pride? I am he whom
that day he drove from his door. Fate has now put him in the place that I
then occupied. Heaven befriended me and washed the dust of sorrow from my
face. Though God, in His wisdom, closed one door, another, in His mercy,
did He open.”
Many a needy one has become filled, and many a Plutos has gone empty.
STORY OF A FOOL AND A FOX
Some one saw a fox that was bereft of the use of its legs. He was
wondering how the animal managed to live in this condition when a tiger
drew near with a jackal in its claws. The tiger ate the jackal, and the
fox finished the remains. The next day also did the Omnipotent Provider
send the fox its daily meal.
The eyes of the man were thus opened to the light of true knowledge.
“After this,” he reflected, “I will sit in a corner like an ant, for the
elephant’s portion is not gained by reason of its strength.”
So did he sit in silence, waiting for his daily food to come from the
Invisible. No one heeded him, and soon was he reduced to skin and bones.
When, at last, his senses had almost gone through weakness, a voice came
out from the wall of a mosque, saying:
“Go, O false one! Be the rending tiger, and pose not as a paralytic fox.
Exert thyself like the tiger, so that something may remain from thy
spoil. Why, like the fox, appease thy hunger with leavings? Eat of the
fruits of thine own endeavours; strive like a man, and relieve the wants
of the needy.”
Seize, O youth, the hand of the aged; fall not thyself, saying, “Hold
my hand.” In the two worlds does he obtain reward who does good to the
people of God.
STORY OF A DEVOUT MISER
In the remote regions of Turkey there lived a good and pious man, whom
I and some fellow-travellers once visited. He received us cordially,
and seated us with respect. He had vineyards, and wheat-fields, slaves
and gold, but was as miserly as a leafless tree. His feelings were warm,
but his fireplace was cold. He passed the night awake in prayer, and we
in hunger. In the morning he girt his loins and recommenced the same
politeness of the previous night.
One of our party was of merry wit and temper. “Come, give us food in
change for a kiss,”[15] he said, “for that is better to a hungry man. In
serving me, place not thy hand upon my shoe, but give me bread and strike
thy shoe upon my head.”
Excellence is attained by generosity, not by vigils in the night.
Idle words are a hollow drum; invocations without merit are a weak
support.
STORY OF HĀTIM TAI[16]
Hātim Tai possessed a horse whose fleetness was as that of the morning
breeze. Of this was the Sultan of Turkey informed.
“Like Hātim Tai,” he was told, “none is equal in generosity; like his
horse, nothing is equal in speed and gait. As a ship in the sea it
traverses the desert, while the eagle, exhausted, lags behind.”
“From Hātim will I request that horse,” the king replied. “If he be
generous and give it to me, then shall I know that his fame is true; if
not, that it is but the sound of a hollow drum.”
So he despatched a messenger with ten followers to Hātim. They alighted
at the house of the Arab chief, who prepared a feast and killed a
horse[17] in their honour.
On the following day, when the messenger explained the object of his
mission, Hātim became as one mad with grief. “Why,” he cried, “didst
thou not give me before thy message? That swift-paced horse did I roast
last night for thee to eat. No other means had I to entertain thee; that
horse alone stood by my tent, and I would not that my guests should sleep
fasting.”
To the men he gave money and splendid robes, and when the news of his
generosity reached to Turkey, the king showered a thousand praises upon
his nature.
STORY OF HĀTIM AND THE MESSENGER SENT TO KILL HIM
One of the kings of Yaman was renowned for his liberality, yet the name
of Hātim was never mentioned in his presence without his falling into a
rage. “How long,” he would ask, “wilt thou speak of that vain man, who
possesses neither a kingdom, nor power, nor wealth?”
On one occasion he prepared a royal feast, which the people were invited
to attend. Someone began to speak of Hātim, and another to praise him.
Envious, the king despatched a man to slay the Arabian chief, reflecting:
“So long as Hātim lives, my name will never become famous.”
The messenger departed, and travelled far seeking for Hātim that he might
kill him. As he went along the road a youth came out to meet him. He was
handsome and wise, and showed friendliness toward the messenger, whom he
took to his house to pass the night. Such liberality did he shower upon
his guest that the heart of the evil-minded one was turned to goodness.
In the morning the generous youth kissed his hand and said: “Remain with
me for a few days.”
“I am unable to tarry here,” replied the messenger, “for urgent business
is before me.”
“If thou wilt entrust me with thy secret,” said the youth, “to aid thee
will I spare no effort.”
“O generous man!” was the reply, “give ear to me, for I know that the
generous are concealers of secrets. Perhaps in this country thou knowest
Hātim, who is of lofty mind and noble qualities. The king of Yaman
desires his head, though I know not what enmity has arisen between them.
Grateful shall I be if thou wilt direct me to where he is. This hope from
thy kindness do I entertain, O friend.”
The youth laughed and said: “I am Hātim; see here my head! strike it from
my body with thy sword. I would not that harm should befall thee, or that
thou shouldst fail in thy endeavour.”
Throwing aside his sword, the man fell on the ground and kissed the dust
of Hātim’s feet. “If I injured a hair on thy body,” he cried, “I should
no longer be a man.” So saying, he clasped Hātim to his breast and took
his way back to Yaman.
“Come,” said the king as the man approached, “what news hast thou? Why
didst thou not tie his head to thy saddle-straps? Perhaps that famous one
attacked thee and thou wert too weak to engage in combat.”
The messenger kissed the ground and said: “O wise and just king! I found
Hātim, and saw him to be generous and full of wisdom, and in courage
superior to myself. My back was bent by the burden of his favours; with
the sword of kindness and bounty he killed me.”
When he had related all that he had seen of Hātim’s generosity, the
king uttered praises upon the family of the Arab chief and rewarded the
messenger with gold.
STORY ILLUSTRATIVE OF MISDIRECTED KINDNESS
A certain man, in the ceiling of whose house some bees had built their
hives, asked his wife for a butchers’ knife so that he might destroy
them. “Do not so,” the woman said, “for the poor creatures will be
greatly distressed when turned out of their homes.”
Accordingly, the foolish man left the bees in peace.
One day the woman was stung by one of the insects and stood wailing on
the doorstep. Hearing her cries, the husband left his shop and hurried
towards the house. Angered, he said: “O wife! show not such a bitter face
to the world; remember thou didst say to me, ‘Kill not the poor bees.’”
How can one do good to the evil? Forbearance with the wicked but
increases their iniquity.
What is a dog that a dish of viands should be set before him? Command
that they should give him bones. A kicking animal is best well-burdened.
If the night-watchman display humanity, no one sleeps at night for fear
of thieves.
In the battle-field, the spear-shaft is worth more than a hundred
thousand sugar-canes.
When thou rearest a cat, she destroys thy pigeons; when thou makest fat a
wolf, he rends one who is dear to thee.
Raise not a building that has not a strong foundation; if thou dost,
beware.
DISCOURSE CONCERNING KINDNESS TO ORPHANS
Protect him whose father is dead; remove the dust from his raiment, and
injure him not. Thou knowest not how hard is his condition; no foliage
is there on a rootless tree. Give not a kiss to a child of thine own in
the sight of a helpless orphan. If the latter weep, who will assuage his
grief? If he be angered, who will bear his burden? See that he weeps not,
for the throne of God trembles at the orphan’s lament. With pity, wipe
the tears from his eyes and the dust from his face. If the protecting
shadow of his father’s care be gone, cherish him beneath the shadow of
thy care.
Upon my head was a kingly crown when it reposed upon the bosom of my
father. Then, if a fly settled upon my body, many were distressed on my
behalf. Now, should I be taken in captivity, not one among my friends
would come to aid me. Well do I know the orphan’s sorrow, for my father
departed in my childhood.