Imam Hussein (as) and Kindness, charity and love for poor

Imam Hussein (as) is well known for his kindness, charity and love for the poor.

One day when Imam Hussein (as) was riding through the streets of Madina, he came across some beggars who had gathered together to eat the food that they had begged for during the day. The beggars saw Imam Hussein (as) and invited him to join them.

Imam Hussein (as) was not allowed to take anything given in charity (Sadaqah) as he was from the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). Sadaqah is forbidden (Haraam) for all members of the family (Ahlul Bayt) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). Imam Hussein (as) got off his horse and sat down with the beggars.

 Imam Hussein (as) then explained to them that although he would love to eat with them, he could not because as a member of the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) he could not take Sadaqah. As an alternative he invited all of the beggars to his house for food so that they could all eat together.

Moral of the Story: You should always be kind to others, especially the poor. You should not compromise your beliefs for anyone, but at the same time you should be polite in how you tell them.

Source: Chennai Shia Youth Association