"And he had fruit," meaning wealth. "And he said to his companion while he was conversing with him," meaning, he was engaging him in dialogue, "I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in number of people," meaning men and helpers.
Yahya said: They were two brothers from the Children of Israel who inherited wealth from their father. They divided it between them, and each of them received four thousand dinars. As for one of them, he was a believer who spent it in the obedience of Allah and sent it forth for his own soul. As for the other, he was a disbeliever who acquired lands, estates, houses, and slaves. The believer became in need, with nothing left in his possession, so he came to his brother to visit him and seek his kindness. His brother said to him: "And where is what you inherited?" He said: "I lent it (fol. 195) to my Lord and sent it forth for my own soul." His brother then said to him: "But I have acquired with it for myself and for my children what you have seen."
﴿وَكَانَ لَهُ ثَمَر﴾ أَيْ: أَصْلٌ ﴿فَقَالَ لِصَاحِبِهِ وَهُوَ يحاوره﴾ أَيْ: يُرَاجِعُهُ الْكَلَامَ ﴿أَنَا أَكْثَرُ مِنْك مَالا وأعز نَفرا﴾ يَعْنِي: رِجَالًا وَنَاصِرًا.
قَالَ يَحْيَى: كَانَا أَخَوَيْنِ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَرِثَا عَنْ أَبِيهِمَا مَالًا؛ فَاقْتَسَمَاهُ فَأَصَابَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا أَرْبَعَةَ آلَافِ دِينَارٍ، فَأَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ مُؤْمِنًا فَأَنْفَقَ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَقَدَّمَهُ لِنَفْسِهِ، وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا اتَّخَذَ الْأَرَضِينَ وَالضِّيَاعَ وَالدُّورَ وَالرَّقِيقَ فَاحْتَاجَ الْمُؤْمِنُ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ فِي يَدِهِ شَيْءٌ فَجَاءَ إِلَى أَخِيهِ يَزُورُهُ، وَيَتَعَرَّضْ لِمَعْرُوفِهِ، فَقَالَ أَخُوهُ: وَأَيْنَ مَا وَرِثْتَ؟ قَالَ: أَقْرَضته (ل ١٩٥) رَبِّي وَقَدَّمْتُهُ لِنَفْسِي؛ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَخُوهُ: لَكِنِّي اتَّخَذْتُ بِهِ لِنَفْسِي ولولدي؛ مَا قد رَأَيْت.
