Greed

In ancient times lived two brothers, Mansūr and Yāsir, and they worked as fishermen. Each had his own boat on which he worked in fishing. Mansūr’s share was the small boat, while Yāsir was fortunate with the larger boat in size.

Mansūr was the younger brother, and among his traits was that he was kind-hearted and extremely gentle. He helped the poor, the needy, the elderly, and those in need, presenting them with fish without compensation. As for Yāsir, he was characterized by harshness of heart and wickedness of nature. He was always mocking his brother because he presented fish to the poor and needy without receiving any compensation from them. He often described his brother as foolish for this reason. The affectionate Mansūr would feel pain in his heart after hearing this speech. He would say with compassion toward the poor: “They have no money, so from where can they bring it to eat?” Yāsir heard nothing from his brother except that he was not responsible for them. Mansūr would admonish him that people are brothers by nature and that the poor have rights upon those around them, and this is what our pure religion has commanded us. Yāsir persisted in his position more than before.

Mansūr and Yāsir would go out fishing every day. Mansūr would return with his small boat filled to the brim, while Yāsir would return with a small quantity that did not suffice even for him and his family. He would look at his brother Mansūr with severe annoyance. Here he was bringing his family what sufficed them and distributing what overflowed to the poor until their bellies were filled.

Yāsir would ask his brother to give him this overflow of fish. Mansūr would answer him that he was not in need or elderly unable to work. As for these poor and needy, they possessed nothing.

One evening, an old sheikh came to Mansūr and asked him to transport him to the other side of the river and told him that he would give him whatever he wished of wheat. Mansūr answered that he would take only three cups of wheat only. Yāsir was on his donkey near them. He said to the sheikh: “Come to my boat, O our sheikh, for it is larger in size, but give me from the wheat what I desire.” The man looked into Yāsir’s features, then said to him: “No, I will ride with this young man, and you take this bag of money and join us toward the island in the middle of the sea.”

The two boats set off, cutting through the waters of the sea. As soon as they reached the island, they were amazed by what they found. The island was filled with fruits, trees, and beautiful blooming flowers that filled the air with their fragrance. Birds soared above them in a scene beautiful to the utmost. Here the sheikh pointed to a large dwelling on the island and asked the two brothers to enter and be his guests. The two brothers entered, to be amazed—each of them by quantities extremely large of wheat that filled the rooms.

Here the sheikh asked the two brothers to take each what he desired of wheat. Mansūr informed him that he would take only what he had agreed upon with the sheikh. Yāsir, however, began to fill his boat to the brim and said to the sheikh: “Would that my boat were larger than this, but I loaded it with more than this.” The sheikh answered: “I wished that you would be content with what God has allotted for you.”

The two brothers bid farewell to the sheikh and each set off toward his boat. Mansūr’s boat was moving with smoothness and tranquility on the surface of the water. Yāsir’s boat, however, began to sink deeply, causing the water to approach the edge of the boat, which drove him to throw half the wheat into the waters. Despite what Yāsir had done, fear had overtaken him, so he began to throw what remained with him of wheat into the waters until not a single grain remained.

The two brothers reached the shore after a journey in the sea. Mansūr began to tie his boat and took his cups of wheat. Yāsir stood, fuming, and said to his brother: “Congratulations to you on your three cups.” His brother answered him: “He could have obtained the like of them were it not for his greed.” Yāsir answered: “How could he leave all this wheat?” But Mansūr informed him that this greed was what had turned his toil into nothingness and what a person collects perishes. This is what happened to him; indeed, it was Yāsir who threw all his toil and what he had gathered of wheat with his own hands into the water. Yāsir answered with sadness: “Indeed, I had been greedy. Had I been content with what God had allotted for me, I would now be happy with what I had gathered, and the little would remain with me.”