[4] Exemplary Dealings of The Pious Predecessors With Their Leaders

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

One day Ibn As-Sammaak, may Allah have mercy upon him, came when Harun Ar-Rasheed, may Allah have mercy upon him, asked for water. After a cup of cold water was brought, he said to Ibn As-Sammaak, “Admonish me”. Ibn As-Sammaak said to him: “O leader of the believers! How much would you pay for this drink if you were deprived of it?” He replied, “Half of my reign”. Ibn As-Sammaak said to him, “Drink, may it be blessed”. After he drank, Ibn Sammaak said to him: “If this water was prevented from exiting your body, how much would you pay for it (to be removed)?” He said: “The other half of my reign”. Ibn Sammaak said to him: “Indeed, half of the reign is the value of a little drink of water and the value of the other half is that of urine. It is befitting that you do not strive and compete with others for it”. Harun wept. [1]

He once gave an admonition to Haaroon, saying: “O leader of the believers! Indeed, you will stand before Allah, and indeed you have a standing that would decide the relocation to another place (i.e. reward or punishment in the Hereafter), so ponder upon where you would be”. Harun wept a lot. [2]

[1] An Excerpt from Al-Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah. 10/213-217

[2] Siyar A’laam An-Nubula 8/329