Chapter I: Repentance
A person said to Ibn Wase: Give me advice. He said, I advice you to be an angel in this world and the world next. He said: How shall I be able to become such? He said: Adopt renunciation in the world. The Prophet sensed anger in the mind of the first questioner. So he prohibited him to get angry. He saw in the second man greed for wealth and long hope and advised him accordingly. Ibn Waes saw in the third person attachment towards the world and so he advised him accordingly. A man asked Hazrat Ma'az: Give advice. He said: be kind, I may then guarantee Paradise for you, He perceived in him by his foresight harsh conduct and hard heart. Once a man said to Ibrahim Ibn Ad ham: Give me advice. He said: Be careful of men and keep company of the virtuous people, as men are subjects of thoughts of men. Every man is not a real man. Real men passed away and there remain only ghosts. I don't consider them as men.
Hazrat Muwayiah wrote a letter to Hazrat Ayesha: Give me advice, but not more. Hazrat Ayesha wrote: From Ayesha to Muwayiah. I heard from the Prophet who said: 'God makes one free from want of men who seeks pleasure of God by incurring the displeasure of men and He entrusts one to the people who incurs displeasure of God by pleasing the people. Salam to you.' Now look to the wisdom of Hazrat-A^sha, how she gave caution
Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 55
of danger to the rulers. At another time she wrote to Muwayiah:
Fear God, He will protect you from men and when you will fear men, they will not be able to do you benefit in presence of God.
Salam to you." So every adviser should advice according to the necessity of a particular man.
There are foods and medicines in theological learnings food for all people and medicine for patients only. An illustration is given below. A man said to Abu Sayeed Khodri: Give me advice.
He said: Fear God as it is the root of all good. Take recourse to Jihad, as there is no monkery in Islam. Take to'the Quran, as it is the light for you among the inhabitants of the world and as it is a reminder to the inhabitants of heaven. Take to silence as you will drive away the devil therewith.