King Ibrahim renounced his throne, becoming a Sufi, but he had no teacher, so he wandered until he came to Balkh, where Abu Ali taught.
"How do you earn a living?" Abu Ali asked.
"I beg for alms and do odd jobs," said Ibrahim, "and I thank God for what I find."
"Doesn't a dog do as much?" Abu Ali retorted. "Dogs wag their tails, but you are a man!"
"What should I do?" asked Ibrahim.
"What I find, I give to those in greater need," said Abu Ali. "When I find nothing, then I thank God for his mercy."
Inspired by: Sufi Stories from Around the World by Debjani Chatterjee
Notes: This is story 6 in the book.
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