Two Loaves of Bread

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

Once, Shaykh Abu Sa’id ibn Abu al-Hasan Yasar al-Baswri (q.s.) visited Shaykh Habib ibn Muhammad al-‘Ajami al-Baswri (q.s.).  He brought two loaves of bread, putting them in front of him as a courtesy to his guest.  Just as he was beginning to eat, someone who was hungry came and asked for something for the sake of Allah (s.w.t.).  Shaykh Habib al-‘Ajami (q.s.) took back the loaves from Shaykh Hasan al-Baswri (q.s.) and gave them to that person. 

Shaykh Hasan al-Baswri (q.s.), said, “O Habib, you are a good person, but if you had some more knowledge of the shari’ah it would have been better for you.”  He meant to say it would have been better if Habib (q.s.) left one loaf for them, and one for that person, instead of taking both and giving them away. 

Habib (q.s.) said nothing.  After a while, someone came to the door and brought a tray full of plates for them to eat.  “You know so much,” Shaykh Habib (q.s.) said to Shaykh Hasan (q.s.), “but you have little certainty.”  Because he had certainty, Shaykh Habib (q.s.) knew that if he gave this for the sake of Allah (s.w.t.), Allah (s.w.t.) would Return it at least tenfold.  There is a similar story involving Shaykha Rabi’ah al-‘Adawiyyah al-Qaysiyyah al-Baswri (q.s.).  Certainty gives more benefit to everyone, and we are in need of that.  If there is no certainty, knowledge can never benefit.  It would be only an ornament to the ego.