Ibrāhīm ibn Adham (May Allah have mercy on him) earns a living

Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm ibn Adham ibn Mansūr ibn Yazīd ibn Jābir the Imām, chief of the ascetics, and exemplar lived in Syria, but was born in Makkah as his mother was pregnant with him when his parents went for Ḥāj. His father had a lot of wealth and servants. Once Ibrāhīm was on a hunt, racing along on his horse when a voice addressed him from above, “O Ibrāhīm, what is this frivolous play? Do you all think that We created you for nothing³⁶? Fear Allah, and take up your provision for the day of privation.” He got down from his animal and abandoned the world.³⁷

Abū al-Muthaffar ibn al-Qushairī relates that Ibrāhīm had gone out to hunt and had stirred up a fox or rabbit which he was chasing when a voice called out to him, “Were you created for this? Were you ordered [to do] this?” Then a voice called out to him from the arch of his saddle, “By Allah, you were not created for this, nor were you ordered [to do] this.” He got down from his horse and chanced upon his father’s shepherd. He took the shepherd’s woolen jubbah, put it on, and gave the man his horse and whatever else he had, then he went out into the desert. Eventually he went to Makkah where he kept company with Sufyān al-Thawrī and Fudhail ibn ‘Iyādh. Later on he went to Syria and [eventually] he died there.

He used to eat from the effort of his own hands, harvesting, and watching over gardens, etc.³⁸

He narrates from his father, as well as Mālik ibn Dīnār, Muḥammad ibn Ziyād, the student of Abū Hurairah (May Allāh be pleased with him), Abū Ja’far Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī, Sulaimān al-‘Amash, etc.³⁹

Amongst those who narrate from him are: Sufyān al-Thawrī, Shaqīq al-Balkhī, Ibrahīm ibn Bashshar al-Khurasāni, and others.⁴⁰

Khalf Ibn Tamīm says that he once heard Ibrāhim ibn Adham saying, “It is not fitting for an individual to raise themselves above their capability, nor lower themselves below their real status.”⁴¹

Muḥammad ibn Shaqīq ibn Ibrāhīm al-Balkhī relates: I have seen Ibrāhīm ibn Adham. A basket of figs was given to him as a gift once when the sun was close to setting. He distributed it amongst his neighbors and the jurists. Some of his companions enquired, “Didn’t you leave anything for us?” He replied, “Aren’t you fasting?” They replied in the affirmative, and he said, “Glory be to Allah! Don’t you have any love? Don’t you have any trust? Don’t you fear the punishment of Allah for having bad thoughts about Him, and expecting to live until the evening? Trust in Allah and have good thoughts about what He has promised, because Allah has said:

مَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَد وَ مَاعِنْدَ اللهِ بَاق

‘What is with you will perish, and what is with Allah will remain.’”⁴²

He died in the year 162 A.H.⁴³

While describing him, Ali ibn Bakkār said, “When he would work, he would sing:

‘Take Allah as your companion

And leave mankind to one side’

He used to fast on journey and at home and did not sleep at night. When he would finish harvesting he would send some of his companions to settle up with the owner. They would bring the coins, but he wouldn’t touch [them] with his hands, [instead] telling them, ‘Go and eat what you desire with it.’ When he wasn’t harvesting, he would hire himself out to protect gardens and fields.”⁴⁴

On one occasion, Ali ibn Bakkār said, “Once Ibrahim ibn Adham was doing the harvesting of two men in that field,” and he indicated with his hand towards the lower portion of Jayḥān. “Close to noon his companions took a siesta while he went into the city and bought rounded bread, milk, moist cheese, and dates. He put this one side, got some cold water, and then woke his companions. After they performed ṣalāh, he brought the food and they ate it while he [continued] fasting.”⁴⁵

It is also related that he would do the work of ten men in a night and then take a dinār as his wages.⁴⁶