The Merchant and the Mysterious Beggar

The City of Wealth and Greed

In the heart of Damascus, where golden domes shimmered under the sun and traders filled the bustling markets with silks, spices, and perfumes, there lived a wealthy merchant named Abdullah ibn Qasim.

Abdullah was known across the city for his fine goods, his vast caravans, and the luxurious mansion he owned. His business stretched across the deserts, reaching distant lands where he sold his treasures for gold and silver.

But despite his wealth, Abdullah had one great flaw—he was greedy and arrogant.

He despised the poor, refused to give charity, and believed that wealth was meant only for those strong enough to take it.

The Mysterious Beggar

One morning, as Abdullah sat outside his shop, counting his gold coins with satisfaction, a shadow fell over him. He looked up and saw a blind beggar, his clothes tattered, his face weathered by time.

The beggar’s voice was calm and kind.

“Peace be upon you, noble merchant,” he said. “Would you spare a coin for a hungry man?”

Abdullah sneered. “Why should I give you anything? Have you ever worked a day in your life? Go earn your bread like the rest of us.”

The beggar smiled softly. “Wealth is a gift from Allah, my friend. You have it right now, but tomorrow—who knows?” Abdullah laughed mockingly. “Do you threaten me with poverty? I have built my fortune with my own hands. No storm can shake me, and no fate can take what is mine.”

The beggar shook his head. “A man who thinks his wealth is eternal is like a traveler who believes the sun will never set.”

Abdullah threw a piece of stale bread at him out of frustration. “Here! Take this and never look back." The beggar picked up the bread, dusted it off, and whispered, “You will soon learn the value of what you throw away.”

And with that, he disappeared into the crowd.

The Fall of the Merchant

That night, as Abdullah slept in his grand mansion, a powerful sandstorm swept through Damascus. The winds roared like wild beasts, shaking buildings and turning the sky as dark as ink.

Abdullah's world had forever changed by morning. His warehouses were destroyed. His finest silks were buried under mountains of sand. His caravans, once filled with treasures, had been raided by bandits.

Everything the once-mighty merchant had was gone. Desperate, he ran to his fellow traders, men who had once called him "brother."

"Aide me! Lend me gold so I can rebuild!”

But they turned him away.

“We have our own troubles,” they said.

His friends vanished as quickly as his wealth. The same people who had once bowed to him in the markets now ignored him.

With no gold, no home, and no hope, Abdullah became the very thing he once despised—a beggar.

The Return of the Beggar

Days passed, and hunger gnawed at Abdullah’s stomach. He wandered the streets of Damascus, his fine robes now rags, his hands trembling with exhaustion.

A soft voice called to him one evening as he sat nearby the mosque and watched people go by. “Peace be upon you, traveler. Do you need help?”

Abdullah gasped as he looked up. It was the same blind beggar he had insulted.

Shame filled his heart. He shook his head. “I was once Abdullah ibn Qasim, the merchant. Now, I am nothing.”

The beggar smiled. “You were never ‘nothing.’ You simply forgot what truly matters.”

Similar to how he had treated him previously, he reached into his bag and gave Abdullah a piece of bread. Tears welled up in Abdullah’s eyes. He took the bread with shaking hands.

That night, as he ate, he prayed like he had never prayed before.

A New Beginning

From that day forward, Abdullah changed.

He no longer measured his worth by the weight of his gold. Instead, he measured it by the kindness he could offer to others.

He put in a lot of effort not to regain his fortune but rather to assist those in need. The first silver coin he earned, he split in half—keeping one part for himself and giving the other to a hungry child.

As time passed, his honesty and generosity spread across Damascus. People trusted him once more. This time, he generously shared his wealth, but his business grew slowly. Years later, Abdullah regained his fortune, but he was no longer known as Abdullah the Merchant.

He was now Abdullah the Generous.

The Mystery of the Beggar

But what became of the blind beggar?

No one ever saw him again.

Some believed he was just an old man, wandering the streets.

Others whispered that he was a test sent by Allah—a reminder that true wealth is not in gold or silver, but in kindness and humility.

And as for Abdullah?

Every day, he wore simple clothes, he fed the poor, and he never refused a beggar—no matter how small the request.

He was aware that a single piece of bread could mean the difference between having an arrogant and a grateful heart. Moral of the Story:

Wealth is a test. It can be taken as easily as it is given.

However, a giving heart is a man's greatest possession because what we share in this world will be waiting for us in the next.