In Tafsir Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) it is related that one day a believer came to the Prophet who asked him how he found his heart towards his brother believers? The man said he regarded them as his own soul; their joys and sorrows were his own. “You are a friend of Allah”, said the Prophet, shrink not at the calamities of this world, and although you possess nothing, you will become richer than all others by invoking blessings on Muhammad, Ali, and their holy family.
The man was rejoiced at this declaration, and constantly invoking blessings as he had been directed. One day he was met by the well known hypocrites who had usurped the rights of the progeny of Muhammad. The first of them said: Muhammad has nicely made you suffer hunger and thirst. Another said: Muhammad has fooled you nicely through false promises that he uses for others. Again they met him the next the day in the Bazar.
They conspired to make joke of this simpleton. Another said: “There is brisk trade, and large profits have been realized today,” said he, “What business have you done?” “I have nothing to trade with”, he replied, “but have been invoking blessings on Muhammad and his family.” “That is a profitless business”, observed the hypocrite; “When you go home you will find hunger spread on your table with all sorts of vexation and troubles, and the angels that bring Muhammad hunger and thirst and degradation, will be ready to serve you.”
The man swore by the Almighty Allah that it was not so, but that Muhammad was the Prophet of Allah, and whoever believed in him would soon enjoy divine blessings”. In the midst of this dispute, a fishmonger passed carrying a rotten fish. “Sell your fish to this man”, said the hypocrites; on which the fishmonger said to the believer, “Buy the fish, for nobody else will.”
“I have no money”, he replied. “Buy it”, said the hypocrites, “and the Messenger of Allah (S) will pay for it.” The Muslim accordingly took the fish, and the fishmonger called on the Prophet for his payment. The Prophet told Usamah to pay him a dirham. He returned happily, saying, “This is several times the value of the fish.”
The believer now cut opened his fish and found two precious stones in it, worth two hundred thousand dirhams. The hypocrites were excessively vexed at the Muslim’s good fortune, and went to the fishmonger and told him what had been found, adding. “You sold the fish only, not the jewels, therefore come and claim them as your property.”
The fishmonger was not slow in asserting his claim, which the Muslim yielded, but the former no sooner took the precious stones in his hand than they turned into two scorpions and stung him. He yelled and threw them from him. The hypocrites remarked, “This is not strange, considering the sorcery of Muhammad.”
Meanwhile the believer found two more valuable pearls in the fish, which the hypocrites urged the fishmonger to take, but on his attempting to do so the gems were transformed into two serpents, which attacked the man furiously and stung him. He yelled and said to the believer, “Take these things yourself, I don’t want them.”
The believer therefore took the serpents, which by the miraculous power of the Prophet, were restored to precious gems. The two hypocrites observed, “We never saw a more expert magician than Muhammad.” “Enemies of God”, retorted the believer, if this is magic then Paradise and Hell are magic also. Believe in God, who has bestowed great favors on you and manifested His miracles before your eyes.” The believer then brought the four jewels to the Prophet, and afterwards sold them to some Arab merchants at Medina for four hundred thousand dirhams.
The Holy Prophet (S) said to the man, “This good fortune Allah has given you because you honor me, His Prophet, and Ali, my successor. Do you wish me to tell you of a profitable trade in which you may invest this capital?” “Yes”, replied the believer. The Messenger of Allah (S) replied, “Make them as seeds for trees in Paradise, by dividing it among your brethren in faith, of whom some are your equals in religion, some your inferiors, and others your superiors.
Every particle of beneficence you bestow upon them insures you a reward a thousand times greater than the mountains of Abu Qubais, Uhud, Sur and Bashar. For this benevolence on your part, Allah will bestow on you golden palaces in Paradise, having turrets of ruby and emerald.” A man now arose in the assembly, inquiring what would be the reward of one like him, who had nothing to give. The Prophet replied, “A high rank in Paradise will be conferred on you for your love of me and my family, and your hatred of my enemies.”