During his caliphate Amirul Mu’mineen (peace be upon him) once said: All throughout Iraq my subjects are in ease and comfort – they drink sweet water and eat bread made of wheat.
The Imam (peace be upon him) had freed one of his slaves, by the name of Abu Naizar, upon the condition that he should work for him (peace be upon him) in his plantation for five years. Later on, the Imam (peace be upon him) granted him the task of supervising his fields and springs, one of which came to be popularly known as‘river of Abu Naizar’.
He relates:
One day the Imam (peace be upon him) came to inspect his field and dismounting from his horse inquired: Do you have some food with you?
I replied: Yes, although I fear it does not match up to your standards – I have gourd with some fat oil.
The Imam (peace be upon him) said: Bring it.
When I had brought the food, he washed his hands and then proceeded to eat it. After he had finished, he washed his hands again, drank some water and then said: Bring me the pickaxe.
When I brought it, he took it from me, entered into a dry well and began to dig so hard that he was eventually overcome with exhaustion and fatigue.
To do away his exhaustion he came out of the well; perspiration dripping from his holy forehead which he would clear by means of his fingers.
A little later he once again entered the well, raising a din as he worked hard in it. While he (peace be upon him) was digging, all of a sudden, a fountain of water gushed out like the neck of a camel. The Imam (peace be upon him) immediately emerged from within the well and still perspiring, kept saying: This is charity! This is charity. Bring me some ink and paper.
I hurriedly brought some ink and paper for the Imam (peace be upon him), who wrote the following bequest:This is an endowment from the servant of God, Amirul Mu’mineen (peace be upon him) given to the needy ones of Medinah as charity – a charity that cannot be sold, gifted or transferred till for so long as God is the owner of the heavens and the earth, except if Hasan and Husain (peace be upon them) fall in need of it for then this well would become their property. ( Islam Wa Kaar Wa Kushish, pg. 24. )