An Islamic Treasury of Virtues
5. Piety
~ 140 ~
while he himself made do with dates. When
Thumamah ibn Uthal, chieftain of the Yamamah
tribe was taken prisoner, he was given fine food
and milk on the orders of the Prophet.
(IBN HISHAM,
SIRAH
)
REMAINING DETACHED FROM THE
MATERIAL SIDE OF LIFE
One day, when Umar came to see Abu Ubaydah, he
found him lying on a piece of the sacking used to
saddle camels, with a bundle for a pillow. “So you
have not done as your companions did?” Umar
remarked, and Abu Ubaydah replied: “Commander
of the Faithful, this is enough to take me to my final
resting place.”
(HILYAT AL-AULIYA)
WHEN PLEASURES SEEM EMPTY
Abu Darda was a trader by profession, but, after
accepting Islam, his commercial activities came to
an end “By the One who has control over Abu
Darda’s soul,” he once said, “I would not even like
to have a shop at the door of the mosque, where I
