The generous Sayyid, the most charitable of his time, the governor of Basra, Muhammad ibn Muhaddith al-Basra, Abbad ibn Abbad ibn Habib ibn al-Amir al-Muhallab ibn Abi Safra al-Azdi al-Muhallabi.
Abu al-Ayna said: “Al-Ma’mun said to Muhammad ibn Abbad, ‘I wanted to appoint you, but your extravagance prevented me.’ Muhammad replied, ‘Withholding generosity is a sign of mistrust in the Provider.’ Al-Ma’mun said, ‘If you wished, you could save for yourself, for what you spend will not return to you.’ Muhammad replied, ‘Whoever has a generous master will never be in need.’ Al-Ma’mun then said, ‘Whoever wishes to honour me, let them honour my guest Muhammad.’ Gifts and wealth came to him, but he did not save a single dirham, saying, The generous one is not swayed by life’s trials..'” (i.e. a truly generous or noble person remains steadfast and unchanged, even when faced with life’s difficulties or challenges)
When al-Utbi was told, “Muhammad has died,” he said:
“We have died from his loss,
Yet he lives through his glory.”
(Siyarul A’laamin Nubalaa 10/189)
Even though the Caliph Al Ma’mun advised Muhammad Ibn Abbaad to go easy with his generosity and perhaps be more mindful when he exercises generosity, since life may bring about situations that may require wealth, but when generosity was a part of the nature of Muhammad Ibn Abbaad he would give regardless of his state and mentioned as his reason for that ‘The generous one is not swayed from his generous nature due to trials that come to him. May Allah make us like him.
