Sheikh Jaafer Kashiful Gitaa, a great scholar and
mujtahid used to collect money in order to help the
poor. One day as he had distributed money amongst
the poor, a poor man from the progeny of the Prophet
(s.a.w.w.) asked him for something to fulfil his needs.
The Sheikh was apologetic that he didn't have anything
to help the poor man when the latter pulled at the
beard of the Sheikh and demanded to be helped. The
Sheikh announced that who ever loved his beard i.e.
respected him, should help the poor man; and so it
happened that the people filled the beard of the Sheikh
with gold and silver in respect of him.
In this way the Sheikh diverted the love the people
had for him in the service of the poor masses around
him. (MAADHI AN NAJAF WA HAADHIRUHA 122-123, QASAS
AL ULAMA 201, 207)
