There lived oncein the city of Cairoa merchant by name Hassan the Jeweller of Baghdadwho had great store of wealth in money and jewels and lands and houses beyond count. God had blessed him with a son of perfect beauty and elegance，rosy-cheekedfair of face and well-shapedwhom he named Ali of Cairo and taught the Koran and science and elocution and the other branches of polite letterstill he became proficient in all manner of knowledge and was under his father's hand in trade. After awhileHassan fell sick and his sickness increased upon himtill he made sure of death and calling his son to himsaid'O my sonverily this world passeth away；but the next endureth for ever. Every soul must taste of death；and nowO my sonmy last hour is at hand and I desire to lay on thee an injunctionwhich if thou observethou shalt abide in peace and prosperitytill thou meet God the Most High；but if thou follow it notthere shall befall thee weariness galore and thou wilt repent of having transgressed my admonitions.'O my father，'replied Ali'how shall I do other than hearken to thee and do after thine enjoinderseeing that I am bounden by the law of God to obey thee and give ear to thy word？'O my son，'rejoined his father'I leave thee lands and houses and goods and wealth past count；wert thou each day to spend thereof five hundred dinarsthou wouldst miss nought of it.
ButO my sonlook that thou live in the fear of God and follow His Chosen One（whom may He bless and preserve）in what he is reported to have enjoined and forbidden in his traditions. Be thou assiduous in good works and the practice of beneficence and in consorting with men of worth and piety and learning；and look that thou have a care for the poor and needy and shun avarice and meanness and the converse of the wicked or those of doubtful character. Look kindly upon thy servants and familyand also upon thy wifefor she is of the daughters of the notables and is with child by thee；belike God will vouchsafe thee virtuous offspring by her.'And he went on to exhort him thusweeping and saying'O my sonI beseech God the Bountifulthe Lord of the Empyreanto deliver thee from all straits that may betide thee and grant thee His speedy relief！'
His son wept sore and said'O my fatherI am consumed by thy wordsfor they are as the words of one that saith farewell.'
'YesO my son，'replied the merchant'I am ware of my condition： forget thou not my enjoinder.'Then he fell to repeating the professions of the Faith and reciting [verses of the Koran]until the appointed hour arrivedwhen he said，'Draw near unto meO my son.'So Ali drew near and he kissed him；then he sighed and his soul departed his body and he went to the mercy of God the Most High. Therewith great grief fell upon Ali；the noise of lamentation arose in his house and his father's friends flocked to him. Then he betook himself to preparing him for burial and made him a splendid funeral. They bore him to the place of prayer and prayed over himthen to the cemeterywhere they buried him and recited over him what was fitting of the Koran；after which they returned to the house and condoled with the dead man's son and went each his own way. MoreoverAli prayed the Friday prayers for his father and let make recitations of the whole Koran for the [accustomed]space of forty daysduring which time he abode in the house and went not forthsave to the place of prayer；and every Friday he visited his father's tomb.
He ceased not from his prayers and devotionstillat last，his fellows of the sons of the merchants came in to him one day and saluting himsaid'How long wilt thou keep up this thy mourning and neglect thy business and the company of thy friends？ Verilythis is a fashion that will bring thee wearinessand thy body will suffer greatly for it.'Now，when they came in to himIblis the accursed was with them，prompting themand they went on to press him to accompany them to the bazaarwhilst Iblis incited him to consent to them，till he yielded and went forth the house with themthat the will of God（blessed and exalted be He）might be fulfilled.
'Mount thy mule，'quoth they'and ride with us to such a gardenthat we may divert us there and that thy grief and melancholy may depart from thee.'So he mounted and taking his slavewent with them to the garden in questionwhere they enteredand one of them went and making ready the morning-mealbrought it to them there. So they ate and made merry and sattalkingtill the end of the daywhen they mounted and returned each to his own lodgingwhere they passed the night.
On the morrowthey said to Ali'Come with us.'Whither？'
asked heand they answered'To such a garden；for it is finer than the first and more pleasant.'So he went with them to the gardenand one of themgoing awaymade ready the morning-meal and brought it to themtogether with strong wine；
and Ali said'What is this？'Quoth they'This is what dispels grief and unveils gladness.'And they went on to commend it to himtill they prevailed upon him and he drank with them. Then they satdrinking and talkingtill the end of the daywhen each returned home.
