For some information about the influential Sufi Junaid Baghdadi, see this earlier post.

Junaid Baghdadi said that one day a beggar came to his door.

He was so robust, said Junaid, that I wondered why he begged. He could work to earn his livelihood; I thought it did not behove him to go begging like that.

When I slept in the night, in a dream I saw that a covered dish was kept before me, that I should eat its contents. When I uncovered it I discovered that a dead body lay in it. I said, “Lord, why should I partake of this corpse?”

The Divine Voice said, “Then why did you eat of it in the day?”

I took the hint and got up and prayed to the Lord for forgiveness for cherishing evil ideas about the beggar.

In the morning I went seeking that beggar, and found him in some jungle. On seeing me, he remarked, “The Lord accepts the repentance of those who offer it immediately after the error, but hence forward take care that you do not cherish any evil thoughts about anyone, nor slander anyone behind his back.”