Habib al-Ajami (quddisa sirruhu) was a great wali of spiritual aspiration, a master of unwavering certainty in his faith, and a reclusive worshipper who sought solace in solitude. He was a friend of Allah of remarkable self-discipline and extraordinary spiritual gifts. Yet, before his transformation, Habib was a wealthy man who made his fortune through usury, lending money at exorbitant interest. Each day, he would set out to collect his debts. If he succeeded in receiving repayment, he was content. If not, he demanded a fee for the effort of coming, which he called "walking rent," using it to cover his daily expenses.
One day, Habib visited the home of a debtor. Calling out at the door, the debtor’s wife emerged. Habib demanded the repayment of the debt, but the woman replied, “My husband is not home.”
“Then give me the walking rent,” Habib insisted.
“We have nothing to give,” the woman said. “All we have is a single sheep’s head that I will cook soon.”
“That will do. Bring it to me,” Habib replied.
The woman gave him the sheep’s head, which he carried home and handed to his wife. She placed it in a pot to cook. When the meal was ready, Habib and his wife sat down to eat. Just as they were about to begin, there was a knock at the door. A beggar stood outside, asking for charity.
Habib angrily dismissed the beggar and shut the door in his face. Heartbroken, the beggar turned and left, his sorrow evident in his steps.
Until that moment, Allah the Exalted had given Habib numerous opportunities to repent, but he had failed to understand them. This time, Allah manifested His power in a way that Habib could not ignore. The food in the pot, which had been perfectly cooked, transformed into a pool of blood.
Startled, Habib’s wife called out, “Habib! Come quickly and look at this!”
Habib came to the pot and was horrified by what he saw. A wave of fear gripped him, and he became restless. At that moment, the veil was lifted, and the truth of his actions became clear to him. He realized the source of the meat and understood its tainted origins, even if his wife did not.
Habib was overcome with a profound sense of guilt and began to speak with deep remorse. Turning to his wife, he said, “Allah has changed my heart. From this moment on, I swear I will never take another coin of interest. I repent for all the sins I have committed.”
Leaving his home immediately, Habib made his way to the gathering of the great wali of the time, Hasan al-Basri (rahmatullahi alayh). As he walked, he passed a group of children playing in the street. Upon seeing him, the children cried out, “Run away! Run away! The usurer Habib is coming! If the dust from his footsteps touches us, we’ll be ruined like him!”
Their words struck Habib like a dagger to the heart, filling him with unbearable shame. He reached the gathering of Hasan al-Basri and, in his presence, poured out his repentance with tears of regret. Hasan al-Basri accepted his repentance and welcomed him as a student.
As Habib returned home, those who owed him money saw him coming and, fearing he would demand his debts, began to scatter. Realizing their fear, Habib called out, “Do not run! Today, it is I who should flee from you, not the other way around. I forgive all my debts to you.”
Later, as Habib passed the same group of children, they now cried out, “Run away! Run away! The repentant Habib is coming! If we raise dust by mistake and it lands on him, we’ll be sinners against Allah.”
Hearing this, Habib was deeply moved. Tears flowed from his eyes as he raised his hands and said, “O my Lord! Endless praise and thanks are due to You. With a single act of repentance, You have erased my name from the list of the wicked and written it among the righteous.”
Thus, Habib al-Ajami became a beacon of transformation, his life forever changed by the mercy and guidance of Allah the Exalted.
After his repentance, Habib al-Ajami, may Allah be pleased with him, made an extraordinary proclamation:
"Let anyone who has a claim against Habib come forward and collect what is due."
The debtors gathered, and Habib returned everything he had amassed through his dealings. He handed over all his remaining possessions and returned every loan document in his keeping. Soon, he was left with nothing. When another man came forward claiming his right, Habib, now destitute, removed his own shirt and gave it to him. When yet another claimant arrived, he gave away his wife’s cloak. In this way, Habib settled every debt, leaving himself with neither wealth nor belongings.
Having relinquished all material attachments, Habib built a humble retreat near the banks of the Euphrates River. He spent his days seeking knowledge from the great wali Hasan al-Basri (rahmatullahi alayh) and his nights in worship, dedicating himself entirely to Allah.
As time passed, Habib’s wife, now living in poverty, approached him one day and said, “We need provisions for the household.”
However, Habib, committed to his new life, went to his retreat during the day and busied himself in worship and learning. That evening, when he returned home, his wife asked, “Did you bring anything for us?”
Habib replied, “The Master for whom I work is generous. I felt ashamed to ask Him for anything, knowing He will send what we need at the appointed time. He has informed me that payment is given every ten days.” With this, he resumed his worship, placing his trust entirely in Allah.
The ten-day period eventually passed, and Habib began to feel concern about how he would provide for his family. With this worry weighing on his mind, he made his way home.
Meanwhile, Allah, in His infinite mercy, sent three porters to Habib’s house, led by a radiant young man. One porter carried a load of oil, the second a load of honey, and the third a load of meat. The young man also carried a pouch containing 300 dirhams. He addressed Habib’s wife and said, “These are from the Master for whom Habib works. He has also sent a message: ‘Tell Habib that if he increases his effort in his work, we will increase his reward.’” With that, the young man and the porters departed.
When Habib arrived home that evening, he noticed the aroma of freshly cooked food wafting from the house. His wife greeted him warmly and said, “Whoever it is that you are working for, continue to work for Him. He is a generous and compassionate employer. Today, He sent us all this—oil, honey, meat, and even a pouch of silver coins. He also sent a message: ‘If Habib increases his effort, I will increase his reward.’”
Hearing this, Habib was astonished and exclaimed, “Amazing! For ten days of service, He has shown such generosity. What might He do if I were to give Him even more?”
From that moment, Habib completely turned away from worldly attachments and devoted himself entirely to Allah. He abandoned all love for material things, dedicating his heart solely to the Divine. In time, Habib al-Ajami became one of the great awliya whose prayers were always answered, a beacon of faith and a symbol of unwavering trust in Allah.
