The Story of Al-Jassas with Ibn Al-Furat
Al-Jassas was a foolish merchant who entered upon the minister Ibn Al-Furat.
The minister said to him: How are you?
He said: I am well, praise be to Allah, and I have bought a house for ten thousand dirhams.
The minister said: May Allah bless it for you, and where is this house?
He said: In Paradise.
The minister was amazed and said: How did you buy a house in Paradise?
He said: Because I gave charity of ten thousand dirhams; the price of it is a house in Paradise.
The minister laughed and gave him another ten thousand dirhams.
Al-Jassas went out happily and met a man who asked him: Where did you get this money from?
He said: From the minister Ibn Al-Furat.
The man asked: And how did he give it to you?
He said: I told him that I bought a house in Paradise for ten thousand dirhams, so he gave me another ten thousand.
So the man said: I will go to him and tell him that I have bought a palace in Paradise for twenty thousand, perhaps he will give me the same.
So he went to the minister and said to him: I have bought a palace in Paradise for twenty thousand dirhams.
The minister said: Well done, go, for Al-Jassas has preceded you to Paradise, and the palace you bought belongs to the owner of the house, so go and collect it from him.
