I heard from Aga Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi that once our respected uncle (mother's brother), Late Aga Mirza Ibrahim Mahallati was involved in such a terrible disease that physicians admitted helplessness in curing him back to health and said that his mentor, Hajj Shaykh Muhammad Jawad Bedabadi should be informed immediately. So we sent a telegram to him. Reply came: Give 200 Tomans in alms so that the Almighty Allah may cure him.

Although at that time this was a big amount, but it was procured in any way and distributed among the poor. It proved effective and the Mirza recovered.

Mirza Mahallati fell ill again the second time and the physicians expressed helplessness. First of all, l sent a telegram to Late Bedabadi. I had sent a reply telegram and had also requested for reply, but no reply came and finally Mirza died of that ailment. Then I understood that the reason of not receiving any reply from Late Bedabadi was that the time of destined death had arrived for the Mirza, which could not be delayed by alms.

Two conclusions can be derived from this story. One is that the ill can be cured through alms (Sadaqah). On the contrary, death can also be delayed through it. A large number of traditions and incidents have come down from Ahl ul-Bayt ('a) regarding the effectiveness of charity in curing illnesses, delaying death, increasing lifespan and warding off seventy types of calamities. Those who are interested may refer to the books of Layali ul-Akhbar of Toisarkani and Kalmah Tayyabah of Muhaddith Nuri.

Another point is that when death is definite and destined and living longer is against divine wisdom, charity is of no use, although one benefits from it in the other world. Another incident is narrated here to support this point.