An old man entered the mosque. His clothes were torn and worn out, and his weakness prevented him from standing straight. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) addressed him warmly after the afternoon prayer, asking about his health.
The old man said: “Oh Prophet of Allah, I am hungry, please feed me; I have no clothes, please clothe me; I am poor, have mercy upon me.”
The Prophet said: “I don’t have anything to give you; however, that who guides to good and virtue is like the one who has done good and virtue himself. Go to the house of the one who adores Allah and His messenger, the one whom Allah and His messenger admire, and the one who prefers Allah over herself. Go to the house of Fatima.”
The old man left the mosque and came to door of the house of Lady Fatima (PBUH) in the company of Bilal the Ethiopian, one of the companions of the great Prophet (PBUH&HP). Once they arrived the man loudly said, “Peace be Upon you O household of the Prophet; Here is the place where angels come and go, the place where Gabriel, the trustful spirit who brings the Quran from the Creator of the universes, descends.”
Lady Fatima answered: “And peace be upon you. Who are you?”
He said: “I am an old man among the dwellers of the desert. I have come from a distant land to your father. I am hungry and naked. Please have hospitality towards me. May the Lord bless you.”
Lady Fatima took the lambskin on which Hassan and Hussein (PBUT) would sleep on, brought it to the door and said: “O guest of ours, take this, and may Allah grant you one better.”
The desert dweller said: “O daughter of the Prophet of Allah, I complained to you of my hunger and you gave me a lambskin. How can this lambskin satisfy my hunger?”
Upon hearing this she removed the necklace she was wearing, given to her by her cousin, and said, “Here, take this and sell it. May Allah grant you an even better one.” The desert dweller took it to the Prophet of Allah (PBUH&HP) and said: “O Prophet of Allah, your daughter Fatima has granted me this and has told me to sell it, hopefully Allah will improve my situation.”
With tears in his eyes, the Prophet of Allah (PBUH&HP) said: “How can your situation not be improved while Fatima, the daughter of Mohammad, the lady of the daughters of Adam the prophet has granted you such?”
Ammar Yasser, a close companion of the Prophet (PBUH&HP) made a move and said: “O Prophet of Allah, would you allow me to buy this necklace?” The Prophet accorded. Ammar turned to the old man and said, “I will give you twenty dinars, two hundred dirhams, a Yemeni cloth, my horse for your travel, and I will feed you with wheat and meat for the necklace.” The desert dweller said: “O man, you are really generous.”
After paying, Ammar took the necklace, aromatized it with perfume, wrapped it in a Yemeni cloth and gave it to Sahm, his servant, saying: “Take this to the Prophet (PBUH&HP), and be his servant as well.”
The servant took the necklace to the Prophet of Allah (PBUH&HP) and told him the words of Ammar. The Prophet of Allah (PBUH&HP) said: “Go to Fatima and give her the necklace…”
Indeed, it was such selfless act that created such a prosperous effect, and was finally returned to its initiator.1
On behalf of Roshd Website, we congratulate you dear friend
And all Muslims around the world upon the auspicious occasion of the 20th of Jamadi-al-Thani,
The birth anniversary of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra,
The fountain of all blessings, and the Mother of the infallible Imams (Peace Be Upon Them)
Footnotes:
1. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 43, pg. 56