Beautification and Showing the Bounty

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ’Allah is beautiful, He loves beauty and He loves to see the signs of bounty on His servant.”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘If Allah grants a bounty to one of His servants and such bounty appears on him, he is called the friend of Allah who speaks of the bounty of Allah. If Allah grants a bounty to one of His servants but it does not appear on him, he is called the anger of Allah and denying the bounty of Allah.’”

“Once, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), passed by a man whose voice had become very loud on another person when demanding something very little from him. He (the Imam) asked, ‘How much do you demand from him?’ he replied, ‘So and so amount.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘Have you not heard the saying, ‘One who has no kindness has no religion?”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When Allah grants a bounty to His servant He loves to see it on him; He is beautiful and loves beauty.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once saw a man with his hairs untidy, his clothes dirty and his condition very bad. The Messenger of Allah said, ‘It is of religion to enjoy and allow the bounty to show.’”

“He (the Imam )’ Alayhi al-Salam has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘The worse servant is a dirty servant.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once saw me carrying grass. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is undesirable for a man of dignity to carry lowly things, thus people become bold against him.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘People say you have a great wealth . 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘It does not affect me badly because ’Amir al-Mu’minin one day passed by different groups of Quraysh with a very old shirt on him and they said, ‘Ali has become very poor and has no assets . 5 ’Amir al-Mu 5 minin heard it. He then commanded the person in charge of charity to keep his share of dates, not to send to anyone but keep them. He (the Imam) then told him to sell to the first persons who wish to buy in exchange for dirham then place the dirhams as dates are placed, then hide them with dates so they are not seen. He then instructed the person in charge, “When I ask you for dates then climb on it, look at the asset and kick it with your foot as if you do not consider dirhams of any value and significance until they are scattered all over the place . 55 He (the Imam) then sent someone to call the people (who had called him very poor and without any assets). He (the Imam) then asked for dates. When he went to bring dates he kicked with his foot and dirhams scattered all over the place. They asked, ‘What is happening, O abu al-Hassan ? 5 He (the Imam) replied, ‘This is the assets of one who has become very poor and has no assets . 5 He (the Imam) then commanded to keep in mind the people to whom I have been sending dates. See how much were sent to each one then send that quantity to each one."

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘I dislike to see a man who has received a bounty from Allah but does not show it."

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu 5 minin has said, ‘You must dress up for your Muslim brother just as you dress up before a stranger; the Muslim brother who likes to see him (his Muslim brother) in the best dress . 555

“’Amir al-Mu 5 minin (a.s.), was informed that Talhah and Zubayr say, ‘Ali has no assets . 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘It troubled him and he commanded his agents to collect his share of grains. They followed his instruction until the end of the year, then they brought it to him and it was worth one hundred thousand dirhams. It was spread before him. He sent for Talhah and Zubayr. When they came he told them, “This asset by Allah belongs to me and no one has any share in it . 55 They had proof to verify it and they left saying, “He in fact does have assets . 55 5 55

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that in al-Madinah people said, ‘Al-Hassan (a.s.), has no assets . 5 Al-Hassan (a.s.), sent to a man in al-Madinah, borrowed one thousand dirham from him and sent it to the charity collector saying, ‘It is the charity due on our assets . 5 People said, ‘Al-Hassan (a.s.), has not sent it without a reason. This is because of a certain amount of assets ."

“Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, lived in serious financial condition and people of al-Madinah began to speak about it. It came to his notice. He assigned one thousand dirham and sent it to the governor of al-Madinah saying, ‘It is the charity due on our assets.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, loves beauty and beautification and dislikes misery and wretchedness.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to ‘Ubayd ibn Ziyad, ‘Showing the bounty is more beloved to Allah than its safekeeping. Therefore, you must live in your people with the best dress among them.’ He (the narrator) has said that ‘Ubayd was never seen except with the best dress among his people until he died.’”