The Caution of Sheikh Ansari in Avoiding Doubtful Wealth
Seyed Hashem Moosavi
When Sheikh Morteza Ansari was teaching and writing in Najaf Ashraf and had not yet reached the state of leadership and general authority, a person named Mirza Zaki, who had become acquainted with and became a devotee of the Sheikh during his stay in Dezful, came to the Sheikh and said that he wished to accompany him on a pilgrimage to Mecca. The Sheikh declined his offer.
Mirza Zaki insisted and said that he would pay for the Sheikh’s travel expenses and the costs of his household. He wanted to compel the Sheikh to perform the Hajj pilgrimage through this generosity. The Sheikh objected to Mirza Zaki’s money, saying that he was not sure if the money to be spent was lawful and pure. Mirza Zaki assured the Sheikh that the money was obtained lawfully. The Sheikh then told him to purify the travel expenses, which amounted to twelve thousand, by giving Imam’s (atfs) share, Khums, and restitution to the poor and the needy among the scholars and Sayyids of Najaf. Mirza Zaki, with the love and faith he had in the Sheikh, obeyed his command.
After completing this task, Sheikh Ansari accepted Mirza Zaki’s proposal and, accompanied by one of his knowledgeable and literary students named Mulla Nasrallah Torab Dezfuli, and one of his learned relatives, Sheikh Mohammad Kazem Ansari, who had been to Mecca several times and knew the way well, they set off for Mecca to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.
In Mecca, Sheikh Ansari was respected and honoured by the Sharif of Mecca. In return, the Sheikh organized a respectable banquet attended by many of his devotees in honour of the Sharif of Mecca.
Mulla Nasrallah Torab wrote in “Lam’aat al-Bayan”: During that trip to Mecca when I was in the service of Sheikh Ansari, one day I heard a noise from the tent set up for the Sheikh. I thought perhaps one of the desert Arabs was trying to steal something. I entered the tent and saw the Sheikh sitting in a corner, eating something. Upon closer inspection, I saw that he had a bag of Qawoot—a mixture of chickpea flour, coffee, and ground sugar – in front of him and was eating from it. I said, “Mirza Zaki is our host and, along with his cooks and servants, prepares good food. Why do you content yourself with such a simple food?”
The Sheikh replied, “I do not want to fill my stomach with rich and delicious foods. Although Mirza Zaki’s money has been purified, the doubtful wealth will still have its effects. I avoid it, for I do not have the strength to account for even lawful wealth on the Day of Judgment.”
