Chapter I: Repentance
Caliph Omar-b-Abdul Aziz wrote to Hazrat Hasan Basari:
Write to me a letter advising me. He wrote in reply: After praise of God and blessing on His Prophet, cares and disasters lie before you. Either you must meet with salvation or with destruction. Know that one who takes account of himself gets benefit and he who is unmindful is a loser. He who sees the ultimate end gets salvation. He who conducts himself with greed is misguided. He who keeps patience rises above wants. He who fears God is secure. He who is secure accepts advice. He who accepts advice is blessed with deep insight. He who is blessed with deep insight gets understanding and wisdom. He who slips returns. He who repents uproots evils. Ask when you know not and restrain anger.
The saint Matruf wrote to Caliph Omar-b-Abdul Aziz:
After praise of'God and blessings on His Prophet: O commander of the faithful, this world is an abode of punishment. He who has got not wisdom hoards wealth for it.
He who has got no wisdom is deceived thereby. Live in this world as one who treats his wound and keeps patience at the bitterness of medicines fearing the result of disease. Caliph Omar-b-Abdul Aziz wrote to Adi-b- Artata: After Hamd and Salat, this world is an enemy of God's friends and a friend of the foes of God. It is an object of reception for the foes of God.
Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 57
He wrote to one of his governors: After praise of God and blessings on His Prophet, your power has been usurped from the oppression of the people. When you intend to do oppression on any one, remember God's power on you. Know that what reaches from you to the people will pass away but it will remain with you. Know that God will obtain for the oppressed people the rewards of the oppressors. Salam to you.
Such are the forms of admonition and advice to the people.
Such sort of advice is like food from which every one gets benefit. Such advisers are rare as the doors of advice have been closed and sin and disturbance gained ground. This is the first mode of treatment and the first root.