[Machine] "O people of Basra, write for me the names of five men from the readers whom I will consult in my matter and inform them of my secret. I seek their assistance in what Allah has entrusted me with." He said, "So Ziyad bin Matir Al-Adawi was written for him, and his eyesight had been affected until he lost his sight. Ghazwan from the tribe of Bani Raqash was also written for him, and he had sworn not to laugh until he knows where Allah wills for him to end up." Al-Hasan said, "By Allah, he did not laugh until he joined Allah." Jabir bin Ashtar from the tribe of Ghatafan was written for him. Abdullah said, "My father said other than Husayn said," Ashtar bin Jabir was written for him." Amir bin Abd Qais al-Anbari was written for him, and Nu'man bin Shawwal al-Abdi was written for him. When they entered upon him, he said, "You are the readers whom I have ordered for you two thousand and so on." Nu'man bin Shawwal answered him, and he was one of the most intelligent among the people and the answer they responded with. He had been entrusted with their affairs, so he said to him, "O Amir, are we special or are we for the people of Basra in general?" He said, "Rather, you are special, and this wealth does not suffice for the people of Basra." He said, "So you say what we say as charity, for if it is charity, it will not enter our stomachs nor elevate our skins. Rather, the worker takes the price of his work, and we work for our Lord. So we have no need for what you have." Ibn Amir said to him, "Do you not see yourself as harmful? Leave from me." He said, "Have you not entrusted me with the princes as a visitor?" He then turned to Amir and said, "I have ordered for you two thousand and so on." He said, "Look at the scribes who are at the doors of the mosque; they are more in need of it than me." He said, "I have ordered that I not be prevented from a door." He said, "You should go to Sa'id bin Qurhah; he is more suitable for the princes than me." He said, "Look for any woman you want in Basra, and I will marry her, and he had never been married before." He said, "O Amir, have you not seen a man who has a wife and children that occupy his heart?" He said, "Yes." He said, "So I have no need for it. Make one concern my only concern until I meet my Lord."
يَا أَهْلَ الْبَصْرَةِ اكْتُبُوا لِي مِنْ كُلِّ خَمْسَةٍ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْقُرَّاءِ أُشَاوِرُهُمْ فِي أمْرِي وأُطْلِعُهُمْ عَلى سِرِّيَ وأسْتَعِينُ بِهِمْ عَلى ما ولّانِيَ اللَّهُ ﷿، قالَ: فَكُتِبَ لَهُ زِيادُ بْنُ مَطَرٍ العَدَوِيُّ، وكانَ قَدْ بُلِيَ حَتّى ذَهَبَ بَصَرُهُ وكُتِبَ لَهُ غَزْوانُ مِن بَنِي رَقاشٍ، وكانَ قَدْ حَلَفَ أنْ لا يَضْحَكَ حَتّى يَعْلَمَ حَيْثُ يُصَيِّرُهُ اللَّهُ ﷿ قالَ: قالَ الحَسَنُ: واللَّهِ ما ضَحِكَ حَتّى لَحِقَ بِاللَّهِ، وكُتِبَ لَهُ جابِرُ بْنُ أشْتَرَ مِن غَطَفانَ، قالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: قالَ أبِي غَيْرَ حُسَيْنٍ قالَ: أشْتَرُ بْنُ جابِرٍ، وكُتِبَ لَهُ عامِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ قَيْسٍ العَنْبَرِيُّ، وكُتِبَ لَهُ النُّعْمانُ بْنُ شَوّالٍ العَبْدِيُّ، فَلَمّا دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ قالَ: أنْتُمُ القُرّاءُ قَدْ أمَرْتُ لَكُمْ بِألْفَيْنِ ألْفَيْنِ وكَذا وكَذا جَرِيبٍ فَأجابَهُ النُّعْمانُ بْنُ شَوّالٍ، وكانَ مِن أسَنِّ القَوْمِ وخَلَّوهُ والجَوابَ، وكانَ قَدْ ولَّوْهُ أمْرَهُمْ فَقالَ لَهُ: أيُّها الأمِيرُ ألَنا خاصَّةً أمْ لِأهْلِ البَصْرَةِ عامَّةً قالَ: بَلْ لَكُمْ خاصَّةً ولا يَسَعُ هَذا المالُ أهْلَ البَصْرَةِ قالَ: فَتَقُولُ ما نَقُولُ صَدَقَةً فَإنْ كانَ صَدَقَةً فَلا يَدْخُلُ لَنا بُطُونًا ولا يَعْلُو لَنا جُلُودًا وإنَّما يَأْخُذُ العامِلُ ثَمَنَ عَمَلِهِ وإنَّما نَعْمَلُ لِرَبِّنا ﷿ فَلا حاجَةَ لَنا فِيما عِنْدَكَ، فَقالَ لَهُ ابْنُ عامِرٍ: ألا أراكَ طَعّانًا، اخْرُجْ مِن عِنْدِي قالَ: أما إنَّكَ ما عَهِدْتَنِي لِلْأُمَراءِ زَوّارًا قالَ: ثُمَّ أقْبَلَ إلى عامِرٍ فَقالَ: قَدْ أمَرْتُ لَكَ بِألْفَيْنِ وكَذا وكَذا جَرِيبٍ قالَ: انْظُرِ المُكاتَبِينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلى أبْوابِ المَسْجِدِ هُمْ أفْقَرُ إلَيْها مِنِّي قالَ: إنِّي قَدْ أمَرْتُ أنْ لا تُحْجَبَ لِي عَنْ بابٍ قالَ: عَلَيْكَ بِسَعِيدِ بْنِ قَرْحى هُوَ أغْشى لِلْأُمَراءِ مِنِّي قالَ: انْظُرْ أيَّ امْرَأةٍ شِئْتَ بِالبَصْرَةِ أُزَوِّجْكَها، ولَمْ يَكُنْ تَزَوَّجَ قَطُّ قالَ: أيُّها الأمِيرُ أرَأيْتَ الرَّجُلَ إذا كانَ لَهُ امْرَأةٌ ووَلَدٌ يَشْغَلُ ذَلِكَ قَلْبَهُ؟ قالَ: نَعَمْ قالَ: فَلا حاجَةَ لِي فِيهِ، أجْعَلُ الهَمَّ هَمًّا واحِدًا حَتّى ألْقى رَبِّي ﷻ