Chapter IV: Poverty and Renunciation
Three classes of beggers: One class of beggars do not beg of Others and do not accept even when offered. These beggars are of the highest order and will live in paradise. The second class of beggars do not beg anything of others but accept it when offered.
These beggars will also live in Paradise. The third class of beggars beg jn case of dire necessity. They are the companions of fortune and will live with the truthful.
When Ibrahim Adham came once to Shaqiq Balakhi, the latter said to him : In what condition have you left your poor people? He said : I have left them in such a condition that if they are given something they would express gratefulness and if they are not given anything, they would keep patience. Shaqiq said :
When I left Balkh, I found my neighboring dogs in that condition.
Ibrahim asked him : O Abu Ishaq, what attributes should the poor possess according to you ? Shaqiq said : In our opinion, if the poor are not given of what they beg, they should also express gratefulness. If they are to be given something, it should be given to those who are more needy among them. Ibrahim kissed his hand and said : O my teacher, you are true.
A certain man saw Abu Ishaq Nuri to beg something from men spreading out his hands and said : I was surprised at it and though it bad. I informed it to Junaid who said : Don't think it bad, and you should not think that Abu Ishaq Nuri is asking something from men, rather he accepts from men that they may gain vjrrues in the hereafter and no hardship reaches them. It seemed as if he hinted at this Hadis: The upper hand is better than the lower. Then Junaid said : Bring a balance. He then weighed one jundred dirhams, took a handful of dirhams from
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another purse and mixed them with those and said : Take these dirhams to Nuri. I thought in mind that it is a wonder that Junaid took a balance for weight and then mixed one hundred dirhams with unmeasured dirhams and sent it to Nuri. I felt ashamed to ask him the reason. I took the entire purse and went to Nuri who took a balance measured one hundred dirhams and said : Take this one hundred dirhams to Junaid and tell him : I shall not take it from him but I accept the additional dirhams. At this, my wonder increased more and on asking Nuri he said : Junaid is a wise man. He wants to take hold of both the ends of along rope.
He weighed one hundred dirhams for his sake, so that he may gain rewards in the hereafter. He then took one handful of dirhams without weighing and gave it in the way of God. What, has been given in the way of God. I accepted and what he gave for his own sake. I look it to Junaid who wept and said : He accepted his money and returned my money to me. God is the Helper.