Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) had heard that an old man had become famous
for his piety. One day, he saw him surrounded by alarge crowd. A
little later, the man came out of the crowd and distancing himself
from them, proceeded alone, whereupon Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) began
to follow him. After a short time, Imam Jafar al-Sadiq(AS) observed
that he hadstopped near a bakery from where he stealthily picked up
two loaves of bread. After a short distance, he stopped at a fruit
store, picking up two pomegranates in thesame manner and once again
continued on his way.
As he walked further, the old man approached a sick person, handed
over the loaves and fruits to him and was about to move on when Imam
Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) came up to him and said, "I have witnessed
something greatly astonishing from you", and then proceeded to narrate
the acts, which he had witnessed.
The old man said, "I suppose you are Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS)."
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) replied in the affirmative.
The man continued, "It is really unfortunate that inspite of being of
the progeny ( Ahlul Bayt ) of Prophet Muhammad (saw) You do not seem
toknow anything."
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) asked, "What act of ignorance have you
noticed from me?"
The man said, "But do you not know that God has said in the Noble
Qur'an "Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it and
whoever brings an evil deed, he shall be recompensed only with the
like of it".
On this basis, since I have stolen two fruits and twoloaves of bread,
I have four sins in my account, but on the other hand, since I have
given it in the way of God, I have earned forty good deeds.Reducing
four from forty,I still have thirty-six gooddeeds in my account; a
pity that you possess no knowledge of such computations!"
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) explained to him, "But have you not heard
this verse of the Noble Qur'an, which says: "Allahonly accepts from
those who guard (against evil)". [5:27] You have earned four sins by
stealing those four items and four more sins for giving them to
someone else without the permission of the owners, so you have
collected eight sins but not a single good deed."
Later, Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) said to his companions, "With such
interpretations and justifications, not only dothey mislead
themselves, but others as well."
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