Abu-Matar, one of the
inhabitants of Basrah, reports: I was coming out of Kufah Mosque when suddenly
a man called from behind, “Hold up your garment which makes it last longer and
cut your hair short, if you are a Muslim.”
I followed him while he had
covered himself with a cloak and held a lash in his hand like a Bedouin, “Who
is this man?” He said, “I find you a stranger in this city!” I said, “Yes, I am
a man from Basrah.” He said, “This is `Ali, the Leader of the believers.”
I followed him until he
reached the neighborhood of Banu-Mohit which was the camels’ market-place.
There, he said, “Sell but do not take oath, for it will destroy goods and
blessing.” Then, he went to date sellers. There, he found a slave-girl crying.
He asked the reason. She said, “This man sold me date for one dirham but my
master did not like it and he does not take it back.” The Imam said, “Take back
your date and give her back the one dirham, for she is a slave and has no
authority.” He pushed back the Imam! I said, “Do you know this man?” He said,
“No.” I said, “He is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, the Leader of the believers.” The man
took back the date and gave back her money. Then, the man said, “I hope you are
pleased with me.” He said, “Now that you have given people’s right, I am
pleased with you.”
Then while passing through the date sellers, he said, “Give
of these dates to the needy so that Allah will bless your business.” Then he
went to fish mongers telling them to be careful not to sell the fish which has
died in water! Then, he went to the market of canvas sellers and visited an old
man selling canvas and said, “I want a shirt for three Dirhams.” As soon as the
man recognized him, he refused to sell anything to him. He went to another
seller but since he too recognized the Imam, he did not buy from him until he
came to a young man. He bought a shirt for three Dirhams, put it on while
praying as such to Allah,
ألحَمْدُ
للهِ الَّذِي رَزَقَنِي مِنَ الرِّيَاشِ مَا أتَجَمَّلُ بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ
وَأوَارِي بِهِ عَوْرَتِي.
“Praise be to Allah who
provided me with a good garment to adorn myself and to cover my private parts
with.”
He was asked whether these
were his words or he had heard it from Allah’s Messenger. He said, “I heard
from the Holy Prophet saying it while he was wearing a garment.”
Amidst this, the father of
the young man arrived. He was told that his son sold a shirt for three Dirhams
to Amir al-Mu’minin. Turning to his son, he asked, “Why did you charge more than
two Dirhams?” The father took the one dirham and came to Amir al-Mu’minin who
was now sitting with Muslims at the gate of Rahbah, saying, “O Amir
al-Mu’minin! Take this one dirham!” The Imam asked about the story of this
dirham. The man said, “The price of the shirt was two Dirhams.” The Imam said,
“He sold it with consent and I bought it with consent.” (Kashf al-Ghummah:
163/1)