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A stranger incident than this is that a man (1) came to us in the night;with a closed flask full of honey paste but I disliked it as though it was the saliva of a serpent or its vomit. I asked him whether it was a reward or zakat (poor-tax) or charity for these are forbidden to us members of the Prophet's family. He said it was neither this nor that but a present. Then I said "Childless women may weep over you. Have you come to deviate me from the religion of Allah or are you mad or have you been overpowered by some jinn or are you speaking without senses? " By Allah even if I am given all the domains of the seven (stars) with all that exists under the skies in order that I may disobey Allah to the extent of snatching one grain of barley from an ant I would not do it. For me your world is lighter than the leaf in the mouth of a locust that is chewing it. What has 'Ali to do with bounties that will pass away and pleasures that will not last? We do seek protection of Allah from the slip of wisdom and the evils of mistakes and from Him we seek succour. * * * * *SERMON 225SupplicationO' my Allah! preserve (the grace of) my face with easiness of life and do not disgrace my countenance with destitution lest I may have to beg a livelihood from those who beg from Thee try to seek the favour of Thy evil creatures engage myself in praising those who give to me and be tempted in abusing those who do not give to me although behind all these Thou art the master of giving and denying. . . . Verily Thou over all things art the All-powerful. (Qur'an 66:8)
(1). It was al-Ash'ath ibn Qays.
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