Hazrat Hakim al-Ummat Thanvi and Hazrat Shah Wasiullah Allahabadi (May Allah illuminate their graves) both narrated this incident that a pious scholar used to teach children. One day, there was poverty and starvation in his house, and his face was withered due to the intensity of hunger. Among the students who came to study, one student perceived that perhaps there was starvation at Hazrat's place. He said, "Hazrat, I will be right back," and left. After a short while, he brought food from his home and said, "Hazrat, please eat this and then teach." The scholar said, "Son, indeed there is a demand of hunger, but now I cannot eat because I have experienced 'Ishraf-e-Nafs' (anticipation/expectation of the soul). When you were leaving, my heart said that perhaps the boy had recognized it and would now bring food, and you brought it exactly like that. So tell me, is this not Ishraf, and how can eating this be permissible for me?" Hearing this, the student went back with the food, saying, "Alright, then this is not permissible for you." Now the teacher lost hope in the creation, his attention shifted away from them, and his heart turned towards Allah, praying, "Master, now You alone are the Provider." Only a little time passed when that student brought the food back again and said, "Hazrat, now there is no Ishraf left; Allah alone is feeding you, please eat." The teacher became very happy and said, "JazakAllahu Khairan, indeed your understanding is praiseworthy," and accepted it. After narrating this incident, Hazrat's respected father (May Allah illuminate his grave) used to say that today's students neither look at the condition of the teacher nor bring anything. Yes, if someone brings something and a teacher returns it under the principle of Ishraf, they would just be happy thinking, "Great, it's a holiday!" Indeed, the understanding of religion is a very great thing. (Ma'arif-e-Rahimi: Sheikh al-Hadith Hazrat Maulana Shah Muhammad Zakir Rahimi, May Allah illuminate his grave)