78. Rabia and the Bread


Two famous scholars visited Rabia, and she offered them her last two rolls of bread.
At that moment a beggar arrived.
Rabia took the bread from the scholars and gave it to the beggar instead.
The scholars were astonished.
Moments later, the neighbor's daughter arrived. "My mother sends you these freshly baked rolls."
Rabia counted: eighteen rolls. "This isn't right," she said. "Take it away."
The girl took the bread, ran home, and then came back. "You were right!" she said. "My mother meant to send twenty rolls."
Rabia turned towards the scholars and smiled. "God repays our charity tenfold."



Inspired by: Sufi Women by Javad Nurbakshsh
Notes: This story is on p. 29 of the book. You can find out more about Rabia of Basra at Wikipedia.



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