In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Imam Sadiq [AS] and The Unwanted Profit (for teens)
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq [AS] once decided to engage in trade. This was after his family had grown larger and his responsibilities and needs had also increased, and it had become difficult to support all of them with his present means.
And because Imam as-Sadiq [AS] was too occupied to go on trade himself, he decided to appoint someone to do this on his behalf.
Imam as-Sadiq [AS] decided to appoint one of the people working for him called Musadif and gave him 1000 dinars and said to him, "Prepare to go to Egypt for trade."
And so Musadif did that. He first went to the marketplace in Medina and inquired what goods the people in Egypt usually buy from Medina. Then he bought them and the next day he set off to Egypt with a group of other traders also heading the same way.
On the way, Musadif's caravan met another caravan that was returning to Medina from Egypt and when they asked them about what they had sold in Egypt, the caravan that was returning to Medina said to Musadif's caravan, “The goods that you are carrying are in high demand in Egypt right now and the people really need it and have a shortage of it.”
Musadif’s caravan was overjoyed to know this and all the traders including Musadif decided they would not sell their goods except at twice their cost. When they arrived in Egypt and realized it was true that there was a shortage for the goods they were carrying, they refused to sell their goods except at twice the cost (100% profit) and therefore made a lot of money.
Musādif returned to Medina with the other traders, overjoyed at the extra profit he had made. On the way back, he kept thinking how happy Imam as-Sadiq [AS] would be that he made 2000 dinars out of the 1000 dinars the imam had given him. Then he thought if he did this couple more times, soon the imam will become very rich and he (Musadif) will become a famous trader.
When he arrived in Medina and came to see Imam as-Sadiq [AS], Musadif first gave back the Imam the first 1000 dinars that he had been given to purchase the goods. Then he produced the profit, which were another 1000 dinars. Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq [AS] asked him, “How did you make so much profit and get all this money?!”
Musadif told the Imam the whole story. How he and his fellow traders found a black market for their goods because there was a shortage in Egypt and how they all took an oath that they would not sell their goods for anything less than 100% profit, and how they decided they would make one dinar profit for every dinar of their cost.
Imam as-Sadiq [AS] was not pleased with this act of Musadif at all. He said to Musadif, “Subhan Allah! You all swore in the name of Allah to take advantage of other Muslims when they were in need and to sell to them for over a 100% profit?!”
Then the Imam [AS] took the 1000 dinars that he had originally given Musadif and said, “This 1000 dinars is the capital I had given you, so I will take it back. As for the profit you made in this trade, I don't want it.”
Then Imam as-Sadiq [AS] said, 'O Musadif! Fighting with a sword in battle is easier than earning a lawful (halal) living!”
