There was a holy man who lived in a small house and would donate all the money he had to the poor. On most nights the holy man would sleep on an empty stomach. One of his disciples came to him and asked him, “Why do you not ask people for food and water?”
Upon hearing this, the master smiled tenderly and replied, “If I ask of the people for something that I need and for their own reasons they refuse to give me the smallest measure of food or water, I fear they will suffer. The Prophet ﷺ has taught us that if someone is sincerely in need and you refuse to help you will be punished for refusing to be that which you were created to be: a human, a representative, a reflection of God’s mercy on Earth. I do not ask of people for the things I need because I fear that they may choose not to give to me, and suffer before God for it. A little bit of hunger, a little bit of thirst, is much easier to bear for me than the anger of our Lord is to bear for them.”
This holy man was in a very high spiritual station. This is important to say because this story is not discouraging people to ask for what they need, specially those who are needy, hungry, and poor. The teaching of this story is not about hunger, it is about the profound consideration that the master had for his brothers and sisters. He knew he lived in a city that had hardened the hearts of people, so he didn’t want to add to the burden of their debt with God through asking for something they would deny.
To me this teaching is invaluable because it reminds us that to be representatives of God’s grace, we must be merciful and know that even when the mercy of creation is not extended to us, the mercy of the Creator is already embracing us.
“The merciful are shown mercy by The Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth and the One above the heavens will have mercy upon you.”
—Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi)
Mercy is the life-giving breath of Divine care. Allah begins every chapter of the Qur’an but one with Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim, reminding us that mercy is deeply embedded in the Divine reality. This is why when the holy man sees that the people are distracted, selfish, and distrustful, instead of putting them in a situation that they may fail the test of mercy, he chooses to bear hunger instead.
“Cooperate with one another in goodness and righteousness.”
—Qur’an 5:2
The holy man does not interact with the world transactionally, seeking reward, ease, or validation from the creation. He seeks to please Allah alone. He is so in love with the Divine, that the last thing He would want is that another soul will have to suffer any distance from Allah. This story forces us to contemplate a difficult question in our own lives:
How often do I consider how my actions affect the heart of another person and their relationship with Allah?
The spiritual masters know what many of us forget. If our private worship does not spill into our every day life, we are not truly on the spiritual path. The hunger of the holy man then is not about his ability to acquire food, but his decision to choose mercy for his brothers and sisters. It is in becoming a safe place for people and a source of mercy and ease that we become holy. The Prophet ﷺ taught us that, “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim)
Many of us read this hadith and think of things we love of the world, often forgetting to include the things we would love to receive from Allah. Loving for others what we would love for ourselves is not just about the food, education, a home, it is also nearness to the Divine, forgiveness, kindness, and gentleness. May we all learn to live our lives in service of the creation for the sake of the Creator.
Oh Allah, help us to be gentle with our brothers and sisters, even when they are not always gentle with us. Oh Allah, help us to be merciful, to be considerate, and to walk on this earth with humble steps in service of all creation in Your name alone. In Your beautiful names we pray. Ameen
In prayers of light upon light,
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