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www.razaviblogfestival.ir Imam Ali Al-Ridha (A) did not like to decorate his house with expensive carpets, instead he covered its floor with rough mats during the winter and grass mats during the summer.
When food was served, he would call all his servants, including the gatekeeper to sit and eat with him.
Majlisi in Biharul Anwar writes that our 8th Imam insisted on eating his meals only after the entire members of his family, young and old, servants and grooms were present.
One day someone who was fonder of royal formalities than the fraternity of the Ahlulbayt, suggested that it would be better to make separate eating arrangements for the servants. The Imam replied,
"All are created by God, Adam is their father and Eve is their mother. Everyone will be dealt with by God according to his deeds. Why should there be any discrimination in this world."
Imam Ali Al-Ridha’s (A) life contains countless anecdotes of this sort. Once a man said to him,
"By God, there is none who is superior to you in the nobleness of your ancestry.”
The Imam said to him,
“My ancestors are honoured merely for their Godliness, piety and worship.”
Another man once declared,” By God, you are the best in the world.”
The Imam checked him by saying:
“Don’t you declare an oath. Any man who is more pious than me can be better than me.”
Imam several times declared the Hadith of the Prophet that a black slave can be better than a person from my own family if his deeds are better.
