Ibrahim ibn-Adham met another seeker, Sahl ibn-Abdullah, on the road. They traveled together, but then Sahl became very ill. Ibrahim sold everything he owned to buy medicine and rent a room for Sahl. He even had to sell Sahl's donkey.
When Sahl finally recovered, Ibrahim explained that he had sold the donkey. "But you can ride me!" he said, urging Sahl to get up on his shoulders.
"I can't do that," Sahl protested.
"I'm no longer weighed down by possessions," Ibrahim explained. "Moreover, I got no pleasure from carrying my old bundle, but to carry you will be a delight."
Inspired by: Sufi Stories from Around the World by Debjani Chatterjee
Notes: This is story 7 in the book. You can read more about Ibrahim ibn-Adham and about Sahl ibn-Abdullah Tustari at Wikipedia.
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