يروى أن عالمًا جليلًا ذا حكمةٍ وبصيرةٍ وذا مالٍ وجاهٍ، كان جالساً -يوماً- مع تلاميذه، وبينما هم كذلك، إذ دخل عليهم رجلٌ غريبٌ لا يعرفه أحدٌ منهم، ولا يبدو عليه مظهرُ طلبة العلم، ولكنه بدا للوهلة الأولى كأنه عزيزُ قومٍ أذلّتهُ الحياة!!

دخل وسلّم، وجلس حيث انتهى به المجلس، وأخذ يستمع للشيخ بأدبٍ وإنصات، وفي يده قارورةٌ فيها ما يشبه الماء لا تفارقه.

قطع الشيخ العالمُ حديثه، والتفت إلى الرجل الغريب، وتفرّس في وجهه، ثم سأله: ألك حاجةٌ نقضيها لك؟! أم لك سؤال فنجيبك؟!

فقال الضيف: لا هذا ولا ذاك، وإنما أنا تاجر، سمعتُ عن علمك وخُلُقك ومروءتك، فجئتُ أبيعك هذه القارورةَ التي أقسمتُ ألّا أبيعَها إلا لمن يقدّر قيمتها، وأنت -دون ريبٍ- حقيقٌ بها وجدير…

قال الشيخ: ناولنيها، فناوله إياها، فأخذ الشيخ يتأملها ويحرك رأسه إعجاباً بها، ثم التفت إلى الضيف: فسأله: بكم تبيعها؟ قال: بمئة دينار، فرد عليه الشيخ: هذا قليل، سأعطيك مئةً وخمسين!! فقال الضيف: بل مئةٌ كاملةٌ لا تزيد ولا تنقص.

فقال الشيخ لابنه: ادخل عند أمك وأحضر منها مئةَ دينار..

وفعلاً استلم الضيف المبلغ، ومضى في حال سبيله حامداً شاكراً، ثم انفضَّ المجلسُ وخرج الحاضرون، وجميعهم متعجبون من هذا الماء الذي اشتراه شيخُهم بمئة دينار!!!

دخل الشيخ إلى مخدعه للنوم، ولكنّ الفضول دعا ولده إلى فحص القارورة ومعرفةِ ما فيها، حتى تأكد -بما لا يترك للشك مجالاً- أنه ماء عاديّ!!

فدخل إلى والده مسرعاً مندهشاً صارخاً: يا حكيم الحكماء، لقد خدعك الغريب، فوالله ما زاد على أن باعك ماءً عادياً بمئة دينار، ولا أدري أأعجبُ من دهائه وخبثه؟ أم من طيبتك وتسرعك؟؟!!

فابتسم الشيخ الحكيم قائلاً:

يا بني، لقد نظرتَ ببصرك فرأيتَه ماءً عاديّاً، أما أنا فقد نظرتُ ببصيرتي وخبرتي فرأيتُ الرجل جاء يحمل في القارورة ماءَ وجهه الذي أبَتْ عليه عزَّةُ نفسه أن يُريقَه أمام الحاضرين بالتذلُّل والسؤال، وكانت له حاجةٌ إلى مبلغٍ يقضي به حاجته لا يريد أكثر منه.

والحمد لله الذي وفقني لإجابته وفَهْم مراده وحِفْظِ ماء وجهه أمام الحاضرين. ولو أقسمتُ ألفَ مرّةٍ أنّ ما دفعتُه له فيه لقليل، لما حَنَثْتُ في يميني.

It is narrated that there was a venerable scholar of great wisdom and insight, who possessed both wealth and status. One day, he was sitting with his students when a stranger entered—a man none of them recognized, who did not have the appearance of a knowledge-seeker. At first glance, he seemed like someone who had once been honored among his people but whom life had humbled.

He entered, gave his greetings, and sat where the gathering ended. He began listening to the sheikh with politeness and attentiveness, holding in his hand a bottle containing what appeared to be water, which never left his grasp.

The learned sheikh paused his speech and turned to the strange man, studying his face carefully. Then he asked: “Do you have a need we can fulfill for you? Or do you have a question we can answer?”

The guest replied: “Neither one nor the other. Rather, I am a merchant. I have heard of your knowledge, character, and nobility, so I have come to sell you this bottle. I have sworn to sell it only to someone who appreciates its true value, and you—without doubt—are worthy of it and deserving.”

The sheikh said: “Hand it to me.” When he received it, the sheikh began examining it and nodding his head in admiration. Then he turned to the guest and asked: “How much do you sell it for?” The man said: “One hundred dinars.” The sheikh replied: “That is too little. I will give you one hundred and fifty!” But the guest insisted: “Rather, one hundred complete—no more, no less.”

The sheikh said to his son: “Go to your mother and bring me one hundred dinars.”

Indeed, the guest received the amount and went on his way, praising and thanking God. The gathering then dispersed, and everyone left wondering about this water that their sheikh had purchased for one hundred dinars!

The sheikh retired to his chamber for sleep, but curiosity prompted his son to examine the bottle and discover what was in it. He confirmed—beyond any shadow of doubt—that it was ordinary water!

He rushed to his father, astonished and exclaiming: “O wisest of the wise! The stranger has deceived you! By God, he did nothing more than sell you ordinary water for one hundred dinars! I do not know whether to marvel at his cunning and deceit, or at your kindness and haste?!”

The wise sheikh smiled and said:

“My son, you looked with your eyes and saw ordinary water. But I looked with my insight and experience and saw that the man came carrying in the bottle the water of his face—his dignity—which his pride refused to spill before those present through humiliation and begging. He had a need for a sum of money to fulfill his requirement and did not want more than that amount.

“Praise be to God who granted me success in fulfilling his request, understanding his intention, and preserving the water of his face before those present. If I were to swear a thousand times that what I paid for it was still too little, I would not break my oath.”