Story of Mohammed El Isfahani

Isphahan is a beautiful city in Persia. In this lovely city there once lived a very great learned man. He was also very poor. His name was Muhammad Baqar. Because he lived in Isphahan he is known as Mohammad Baqar-e-Isphahani which means Muhammad Baqar of Isphahan city.

Muhammad Baqar-e-Isphahani was poor and therefore he could not afford good food. He had no money to buy rich food. For many years he had been living on simple food. Once he felt like eating liver. Food made from liver is tasty and rich in strength. So he began to save money each day from his small earnings so that he could buy a pound of liver and thus satisfy his desire.

After many days he saved enough money to buy a pound of liver He was happy. He went to the bazaar and bought a nice piece of his favourite liver.

Feeling very, very happy he was returning home from market with the parcel in his hands. On the way home, near a ruined house, he saw a dog with her puppies. The dog with her young ones looked very hungry. Her stomach had gone deep inside. She was not able even to give milk to her little ones and feed them. The dog and her puppies were also shivering from the cold climate.

Mohammad Baqar-e-Isphahani felt sorry for the poor animals. He went near them and stroked them kindly. Then he opened his parcel of liver and cut small pieces and then piece by piece fed them.

The dog while eating looked thankfully at Mohammad Baqar-e- Isphahani and then at the sky as if she was thanking Allah for the favour and praying for the generous and kind man.

Having fed the animals Mohammad Baqar-e-lsphahani went home. Tired and hungry he slept that night shivering in the cold. But, somehow he felt happy.

Soon after this incident the learned man began to get rich. Gradually he became richer and richer until he was a millionaire. He became so rich that once when the King of Isphahan was in need of money, Muhammad Baqar-e-Isphahani gave him a loan of 20,000 dinars.

Moral: Kindness is never wasted