The Best Price of All

The Best Price of All

1987 11 November 25 The Best Price of All (305) During the Caliphate of Abu Bakr, there was a period when the people were in great distress because of a prolonged drought. But the Caliph told them to be of good cheer, because the Almighty would surely come to their rescue. Sure enough, the glad news soon spread that a caravan, belonging to Uthman, had arrived laden with foodstuffs from Syria. It was a big caravan – of one thousand camels and all the great traders of Medina rapidly converged on Uthman’s house. When he emerged to meet them, they expressed their urgent desire to purchase the foodstuffs so that they could pass it on to those who needed it in Medina.

Ushering them inside, he asked them how much profit they were prepared to give him on this merchandise. “Twelve dirhams on every ten dirhams worth,” they replied. “But I can get a better price,” said Uthman, “Then we’ll give you fourteen”. Uthman again said that he could get a better price, where upon they put their price up to fifteen dirhams. But Uthman stood firm. Bewildered by his attitude, they asked him who could give him a better price, considering that all of the merchants of Medina were already assembled there. “I can get ten dirhams for every dirham’s worth,” he told them, then asked them if any one of them could give a better price than that. No one spoke up. Then Uthman recited the verse of the Quran which says that those who do good will be rewarded tenfold (Anaam, 60). He explained to them that he intended to give away all the wheat and other foodstuffs to the needy people of Medina.

Having faith in the promises of the Almighty raises one’s courage to a plane where there is no self-sacrifice which appears too great or too difficult to carry out.