Aslam

baseless thoughts of show arise in mind, man falls into four conditions, (a) First condition. It is that such a man drives away the devil, thinks him as a liar and engages himself in arguments with him. This is not good as instead of engaging himself in the service of Lord/ he is busy with thoughts of the devil. This is just like engagement with a robber on the way instead of going towards the destination, (b) Second condition. It is that such a man in such circumstances does not engage in argument with the devil but goes on his way towards his destination, (c) Third condition. It is that a man in such circumstances does not tell the devil a liar but rather hates show and walks on his way. (d)
Fourth condition. It is that a man gets enraged at the devil when he finds that the cause of show has arisen in mind, increases his sincere wish, engages in meditation of God and divine services.
The devil leaves him being disappointed and does not come to him again.

Once the sage Fazil was informed that a person back-bited him. He said: By God, 1 am displeased with one who ordered him to do so. He was questioned: Who ordered him to do so? He said:
The devil. Then he said: O God, forgive him who back-bited me. I will make the devil disappointed by doing more good works.
When the devil knows it, he will keep himself quite aloof from such a man. The sage Ibrahim Taymi said: Don't respond to the devil if he calls you from any door of sin but rather engage in good works. When he finds you in that condition, he will leave you. He also said: When the devil finds you rolling in doubt, he feels tempted towards you. When he finds you doing good works for long, he becomes disappointed and goes away from you.

The sage Hares Mohasabi explained the condition of these four persons by an illustration. He said that the examples of these four persons are like four students. These students intended to go to the

236 The Book of Destructive evils VoI-III

assembly of the learned in a distant land to acquire knowledge in

Hadis and guidance. One dishonest misguided man, being

envious came to a student and prohibited him to go there and

ordered him to join the misguided. He refused to join him and

encaged with him in arguments. When he called the second

student towards misguidance, he did not engage himself in

arguing with him, but rather waded on his way. The misguided

man was a little pleased with him as he spent some time in

misuse by stopping him. Then he went to the third student who

did not at all listen to him and waded on his journey as usual. The

misguided man was totally disappointed at this. Then he went to

the fourth student who grew in rage at him and waded quickly

on his way. The misguided man may return to them on their way

back but he will not come near the fourth student.