Waqidi, who was one of the greatest scholars during the time of Abbasid Caliph Mamun Rashid narrates the following incidents.
I had two friends, one of who was Hashemite. Our friendship was so sincere, that we were in fact one soul in three bodies!
Once during Eid Festival season, I had no money. My wife said to me, " You and I can tolerate these hardships, however, I am very much grieved because our children see other children wearing new dresses and adorning themselves for Eid Festival, whereas their own clothes are old and torn. See if you can get some money so that i can make new clothes for them".
I could not think of any solution to the problem, so I wrote a letter to my Heshemite friend and requested him to assist me.
My Heshemite friend sent me a sealed bag and informed me that it contained 1000 dirhams. I had not yet opened the sealed bag when someone who sent by my other friend came. He informed me about my friend's financial difficulties and sought help from me. I gave him the same sealed bag to take it to my friend. I then went to the mosque with a heavy heart. As I felt ashamed to face my wife, I spent the night there. When i went home in the morning, to my surprise, she received me with a cheerful face and was pleased at my having done good to my friend and having considered his needs before considering my own.
In mean time, my Heshemite friend arrived at my house and asked me curiously, "Tell me the truth. what have you done with the bag of money which I had sent to you yesterday?".
I told him the whole incident. After hearing me out, he bowed his head down for a moment and then said, "yesterday when you sent me a message and asked for help, I had no money except this sealed bag. I sent it to you and wrote a letter to our friend seeking help. He sent me my own sealed bag and I could not understand the matter till you just explained to me".
The end of the story Waqidi says, "the three of us divided the money amongst ourselves and one hundred dirhams out of it was given to my wife. When Abbasid Caliph Mamun Rashid heard about this strange incident he sent me enquired about the matter. I related the entire incident to him. Abbasid Caliph Rashid then ordered that 2000 dinars should be given to each one of us and 1000 dinars to my wife as a gift."
F - Few, R - Relations, I - In, E - Earth, N - Never, D - Die
Resources: Islamic websites
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