From him, from Ibn Abi Najran from Sabbah al-Hadhdha’ from Abu al-Tayyar who said:
I said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “There was something in my possession but it was lost and I fell into great distress because of it.” Imam عليه السلام said to me: “Do you have a shop in the market?” I said: “Yes, but I have left it.” Imam عليه السلام said: “When you return to Kufa, sit in your shop and sweep it. And when you intend to go out to your marketplace, then pray two or four rak‘ahs, then say at the end of your prayer: ‘I turn with no power or strength from myself, but with Your power, O’ Lord عز وجل, and Your strength. I disassociate from any power and strength except through You عز وجل. So You عز وجل are my strength, and from You عز وجل is my power. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, provide me from Your vast bounty a plentiful, good provision while I remain in ease and well-being, for none possesses it besides You عز وجل.” He (Abu al-Tayyar) said: “So I did that, and I would go out to my shop until I feared that the tax collector would seize me, for the rent of my shop, while I had nothing. Then a merchant came with goods and said to me: ‘Will you rent me half of your house?’ So I rented him half of my house for the (amount equal to) rent of the whole house. Then he (the merchant) showed me his merchandise, and someone offered him a price for it but he did not sell it. So I (Abu al-Tayyar) said to him (the merchant): “Would you like something better? Sell me a bundle of your goods, and I will sell it and take the profit and return to you its price.” He (the merchant) said: “How can I trust you with that?” I (Abu al-Tayyar) said: “You have my oath to Allah سبحانه وتعالى for that.” So he (the merchant) said: “Take a bundle of it.” So I took it, marked it, and a severe cold came, and I sold the goods that same day. I gave him his price and took the profit. I continued to take a bundle, sell it, take the profit, and return to him the capital until I was able to ride animals, purchase slaves, and build houses.
