She replied, “He took a covenant from us that we never sieve any food for him.”

So, Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ turned to me and said, “O Ibn Ghaflah! What are you saying to her?”

I informed him and said, “Have mercy on yourself.”

He responded, “Woe to you, O Suwayd! The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and his family did not satiate themselves from wheat bread, three consecutive days, until he returned to Allah Almighty. Food was never sieved for him. Once, I experienced intense hunger in al-Madinah, so I went out searching for work. I came upon a woman who had gathered soil and wanted to mix water into it. I agreed to work for her in return for a date for every bucket. So, I drew sixteen buckets of water until my hands were blistered. Then, I took the dates and came to the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. I informed him and he partook from them.”^[1]

Simple attire

Dear Islamic brothers! May our lives be sacrificed upon the simplicity of Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ. Despite enduring so many hardships, he never complained. Alongside his simple food, his clothing was simple as well. It was once said to him, “Why do you patch your shirt?” He replied,    یَخْشَعُ الْقَلْبُ وَ یَقْتَدِی بِہِ الْمُؤْمِنُ “The heart is humbled and the believer follows him in this.”^[2]