Did you take my bag?

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Imam al-Sadiq (as) was famed for his high moral standards. He could capture hearts with his behaviour, which was the continuation of his grandfather’s morality, who exalted the rest of the Prophets (as) with the nobility of his character. One of his high morality and nobility was his kindness to those who behaved badly with him.

Narrators mentioned that a man, in the Hajj ceremony, thought that his bag was lost. He went out to look for it and saw Imam al-Sadiq (as) praying in the Prophetic Mosque. He went there and said the following without ever knowing the Imam (as), “Did you take my bag?” “What was in it?” Imam (as) replied kindly and friendly. “One thousand dinars” the man said. Then Imam (as) gave him a thousand dinars and the man returned to his place where he suddenly found his bag. He returned to the Imam (as) carrying the bag and asking forgiveness. The Imam (as) did not accept to take the bag and said, “What goes out of my hand will not return to it.” The man was left in surprise and afterwards he was told that the man was Jafar al-Sadiq (as). He went back saying with astonishment, “It is not surprising for this man to do such things.”

Imam al-Sadiq (as) is reported to have said,

“We are from a family whose morality calls us to forgive those who behave badly with us.”

Honouring the attendants of his lectures, he once said,

“By Allah (SwT), I have not seen a gathering more noble and honourable than yours.”

THE LIFE OF IMAM JAF’AR AL-SADIQ (AS) – BAQIR SHARIF AL-QURASHI