Source: Shaheed Murtada Mutahhari, The Narrative of Veracious, Vol.1, STORY
NO.17, p.43-45
As usual the Prophet (s) was sitting in his place in between his Companions.
They fonned a circle around him (s) and it seemed to be as if the Prophet (s)
was a bezel of a ring in between them.
Suddenly one of the Muslims, a poor man dressed in rags, came in through the
door. According to the Islamic tradition, regardless of his status, anyone who
enters in an assembly should sit wherever he finds an empty place, not
considering whether the particular place is suitable for his social stauts.
Therefore, that man looked around, found a vacant place, went, and sat there.
Incidentally he settled down next to a rich and wealthy man. The rich man
gathered the edges of his dress and shifted on to another side away from him.
The Holy Prophet (s) was watching and observing the behaviour of the wealthy
person.
He (s) turned towards him and said: “Are you afraid that something of his
poverty would transfer to you?”
—“No, ‘0 Messenger of Allah!”
—“Did you fear that some of your wealth might adhere to him?”
—“No, ‘0 Messenger of Allah!”
—“Perhaps, you feared that your garments would become
dirty’?”
—“No, 0 Messenger of Allah!”
—“Then why did you draw yourself aside and shift away from him?”
—‘1 confess that I committed an error and made a mistake. At present, in order
to compensate my error and to expiate the sin, I am ready to grant half of my
wealth to this Muslim brother towards whom I have shown disrespect.
—The man in rags replied: “But I am not ready to accept
this offer.”
—The Companions asked: “Why?”
—The man said: “I fear that I may become arrogant and ill treat one of my Muslim
brothers in the same way that this man did towards me today. 1