he reached in stinginess and begging and in the abundance of his money amounts that no one else had reached. he used to live in the valley of banu tamim and they did not recognize him. one day a beggar stopped him while he was in one of their gatherings. he put his hand in the bag to take out a fils and the fils of basra were large but he mistakenly took a dirham for a fils. he did not realize it until he put it in the beggars hand. when he realized it he took it back and gave him the fils. it was said to him we do not think this is permissible and it is also ugly for someone like you. he said it is ugly in your eyes but as for me i did not collect this money with your minds so i will distribute it with your minds. this is not one of the poor in dirhams this is one of the poor in money. by god i only know him by intuition.
فد بلغ في البخل والتكدية، وفي كثرة المال، المبالغ التي لم يبلغها أحد؛ وكان ينزل في شق بني تميم ١ ، فلم يعرفوه. فوقف عليه ذات يوم سائل، وهو في مجلس من مجالسهم، فأدخل يده في الكيس ليخرج فلسا؛ وفلوس البصرة كبار، فغلط بدرهم بغلي ٢ ، فلم يفطن حتى وضعه في يد السائل. فلما فطن استرده، وأعطاه الفلس. فقيل له هذا لا نظنه يحل، وهو بعد بمثلك قبيح. قال قبيح عندكم وأما أنا فإني لم أجمع هذا المال بعقولكم، فأفرقه بعقولكم. ليس هذا من مساكين الدراهم، هذا من مساكين الفلوس. والله ما أعرفه إلا بالفراسة ٣ .