SHAFAQNA- Abu Sa’id Mansur bin Hussein Abi (422 A.H.) writes thus in his book entitled Nathrud Durar that Ahnaf bin Qays says: “One day I went to see Muawiyah. He had on a wonderful dinner carpet. He brought all sorts of hot, cold, sweet, and sour foods for me. I was wonderstruck. Later, as ordered by him, another dish of a different kind of food was brought in.
I tried my best to find out what it was but did not succeed. I, therefore, enquired about it from Muawiyah. He replied that it consisted of the intestines of a duck which had been filled with the marrow of the sheep and had then been fried in pistachio oil and finally sugar had been sprinkled on it.
I began to weep. He asked me: “Why are you weeping?”
I replied: “I have been reminded of the life of Ali (A.S). I remember that one day I was with him. When the time for dinner and breaking the fast drew near, he asked me to remain with him. A sealed leather case was brought to him.
I asked him what it contained and he told me that there was barley flour in it.
I asked him: “Why have you sealed it? Are you afraid that others may take some of it or do you not wish that anyone else should eat it?”
He replied: “Who else? As a matter of fact I am afraid that my sons Hassan and Hussein may not taint it with butter or olive oil.”
I said: “O Commander of the Faithful! Is it prohibited?”
He replied: “No. It is not prohibited. However, it is necessary for the true administrators and rulers to consider themselves to be the most deprived persons so that poverty and distress may not press and squeeze the indigent”.
When I had said this, Muawiyah interrupted and said: “You have mentioned a man whose excellence cannot be denied by anyone“.
Taken from: Islam Portal.Net