Table of Contents
Introduction
The scholars of biographies and narrations recount that Salim ibn AbduLLAH ibn Umar—may ALLAH be pleased with him, his father, and his grandfather—owned a garden on the outskirts of Medina. He would often visit this place, where his family, household, and daughters lived. Salim was known for his kindness, even toward Ash’ab the Greedy, a man renowned for his excessive greed.
One day, someone asked Ash’ab, “To what extent does your greed go?” In other words, they wanted to know the limits of his greed. Ash’ab the Greedy responded,
“I have never seen two people whispering without assuming they were planning to include me in something“
He meant that whenever he saw two people talking in hushed tones and happened to pass by, he would immediately think they were discussing giving him something.
The Humor and Wit of Ash’ab the Greedy
One day, Ash’ab the Greedy came across a carpenter crafting a large wooden bowl. He said to the carpenter, “Make it deeper and wider”. Curious, the carpenter asked, “Why does that concern you?” Ash’ab replied,
“Who knows? Perhaps one day, it might be gifted to me“
On another occasion, the aroma of cooking wafted from Ash’ab’s house, drawing the attention of people nearby. They began knocking on his door, curious about the source of the smell. Each time someone knocked, Ash’ab would redirect them, saying, “The smell is coming from the end of the alley”. Believing him, they would leave. He repeated this with every visitor. Eventually, he thought to himself, “What if what I’m saying is actually true?” Intrigued, he decided to follow the people to the end of the alley to investigate for himself.
Ash’ab’s Bold Intrusion into Salim’s Garden
Salim ibn Abdullah was known for his kindness, even toward Ash’ab the Greedy. One day, Salim went to his garden with his family, and Ash’ab decided to follow him. When Salim entered the garden, Ash’ab climbed over the wall to get inside.
Seeing him, Salim exclaimed, “Woe to you! My daughters, my daughters!” In response, Ash’ab calmly said,
“…You certainly know that we have no need for your daughters. You already know what we desire!“1
(Suraat Huud, 11:79)
Sources:
- Sheikh Dr. Said Al Kamali. هل تعرف أشعب الطماع ؟ من طرائف مجالس الموطأ ـ الشيخ سعيد الكملي. YouTube Video.
- Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran ↩︎
