Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Correct Wages

Suleiman, one of the friends of Imam Ali Ridha (A.S.) says, "I went along with the Imam (A.S.) to his house. The labors were busy at work. There was a stranger among them whom the Imam (A.S.) did not recognize.

He said, "Who is this man?"

They said: “We have brought him from outside, so that he may help us”.

He said, "Have you concluded an agreement with him and fixed his wages?"

They said, "No, he is a good man, whatever we pay him he accepts it and does not utter a word."

Imam (A.S.) was angry and annoyed and said, "I have always told you that when you employ someone for a job first of all fix his wages. Because, when his wages are fixed and you give more than that to him, he will become happy. But if you do not fix his wages and give him three times the amount, he thinks you have not given him the correct wages."

Sheikh Saduk narrates through the words of Ibrahim bin Abbas that, "I never saw Imam Ridha (A.S.) committing excess over anyone in talking and interrupting anybody's speech before its coming to the end. He did not stretch his legs in the presence of others. When the meal table was laid he invited the servants to it, and took his meals with them. After taking rest in the nights he got up and made himself busy with the prayers to God. Similar to his fore fathers he carried food to the houses of the afflicted ones at the mid of nights."

"Mohammad bin Abi Ebad" says about Imam (A.S.) "He used mats of palm date leaves, straws and marsh reed in the summer season, and woolen carpets in the winter. He led a simple life in his home, but when he went out he used to decorate himself and put on new and clean dress.

“He respected and honored the guests to the extent that one night a lamp of the house went out of order, the guest got to his feet to put it right. Imam (A.S.) made him sit and himself set the lamp right, and said, "We do not employ our guests (exploit) upon work."

Yasir, the servant of Imam (A.S.) says, Imam (A.S.) said to us, "Whenever you are busy taking your meal, if I call you, do not get up till you have finished up eating."

Another friend of Imam (A.S.) says, "One day a stranger came to Imam's (A.S.) house and said, I am one of your friends and am also not a poor man but my money has finished up and I do not have the expanses to return. You give me an amount and when I return to my city I will give it out as alms on you behalf."

Imam (A.S.) got up and went to another room, brought an amount of two hundred dirhams and gave it to him from upside the door and said, "Take this and go and it is not necessary to give it away as alms on my behalf."

They asked the Imam (A.S.), "Why did you do it this way that he may not see you."

He said, "So that he does not catch my sight and get ashamed (embarrassed)."

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