Download PDF: [S] A Saint who sold Cloaks (Islamic Story)

Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Ghazzali – may Allah be pleased with him – narrates the story of a Saint that used to live in Baghdad Shareef.

 

His name was Khawaja Mohammed Munakdar – may Allah be pleased with him. He used to also have a tailor shop. During the winter months, Khawaja Mohammed Munakdar – may Allah be pleased with him – used to sew material into cloaks and sell them to people. He had the habit that whenever he used to go for any work outside the shop, he always warned his assistant that this garb was for two Dinaars and this was for three Dinaars. He used to also warn him not to sell for more than the price mentioned.

 

One day, a Bedouin arrived in the shop and wanted to buy a certain cloak. His assistant sold this cloak for three Dinaars. The Bedouin was very happy and paid the price. Obviously, the Bedouin felt that this was extremely cheap because in his area this was extremely expensive. As he was walking, he met Hadrat Mohammed Munakdar – may Allah be pleased with him –  who recognised the cloak and asked him how much he had purchased it for. The Bedouin mentioned that he had bought it for three Dinaars. However, the Saint replied that this type of cloak were supposed to be sold for two Dinaars. He then asked the person to return to the shop.

 

However, the Bedouin was after all a Bedouin, in another words a mere villager and he began to have doubts about the entire issue. However, he was convinced and went to the shop of this Saint and took his one Dinaar.

 

As he was walking, he asked the people, “This shopkeeper seems a very honest person. What is his name?” The people informed him that the name of this person Hadrat Mohammed Munakdar.

 

The Bedouin was even more shocked, he mentioned to everyone, “Is this Mohammed Munakdar? This is actually the name we take in our village to make Du’a to Allah Almighty when we are in great difficulty. In fact, through his name, all our difficulties are removed from us. In fact, we thought that this Saint would have a large Islamic Centre and stay in some big Khanqah. We had no idea that he would be an ordinary shopkeeper.” (Kimiyah Sa’aadat)